Hello again, guys. I might be going through some sh*t but at least some amazing obs' are being born out of these hard times.

Again, I have been overwhelmed with stress, anxiety, and emotions, and my two guy friends (one is my best friend, the other guy is his friend from high school, but we're all very close) invited me out on really short notice. I got ready in 5 minutes and went out. They both know I have been struggling for some time, so my best friend reached out for a hug as soon as he saw me, and I felt a lump form in my throat instantly. The other guy joined us for a group hug, and it all made me extremely emotional and on the verge of tears.

My BFF claimed he was starving, so we set out for a local restaurant. I pleaded for us to stop and sit down somewhere before we arrived because I started having an anxiety attack. My BFF guided me to breathe until we found a secluded place to stop and help me calm down. That's when I started pouring my heart out about everything that's been bothering me lately, and I just broke down in tears. I was leaning on a wall, burying my face into my left hand, sobbing. The high school friend kinda awkwardly put his right arm around my shoulder and tried to talk me out of crying when my BFF told him that they should let me let it all out.

They were both obviously not very affectionate when it came to comforting people, so they just stood there and let me be. I was so distraught and desperate for affection that I blurted out that I wanted a hug. My BFF then openly admitted to "not being too skilled in comforting people that way," but he leaned over and gave me a mild hug anyway. I literally pulled myself into a hug as tight as I could and started sobbing into his right shoulder. He quickly softened and started gently saying, "there there, it's gonna be okay," and also patting my back, while I soaked his neck and thin summer shirt with my tears and sobbed out loud. The other friend just stood beside me and let us be. My BFF started talking mid-comforting about how he admires my vulnerability and wishes he could let himself go like that.

What really got me most is the fact that I have known him for more than 20 years; we actually went to primary school together, but drifted apart after the school mixed up our classes after 4th grade, 17 years ago. It was not until last year that we grew close again, and I’m just mesmerized and incredibly touched by how some people come back in your life in the most amazing ways.

Last edited by andjyx (July 9, 2026 10:33 am)