For Emil On His Birthday

Hello blog,

I have a few things I wanted to write about this month but since it is the birthday of one of my good friends and cousin, I thought I would finally write about him.

He got married back in June, and though I was a bridesmaid,  I did not ask to make a speech.

What follows is kind of what I would have said,  had I made a speech.



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Emil and I haven't always been close,  in fact,  it wasn't until he moved to Dunedin some six years ago that we actually started spending much time together.

It started out slow, and was brought on mainly by my feeling sorry for him because he didn't have many friends and spent almost all his time in the university computer suite, watching TV shows online.

We started to have lunch together most days, and it got to the point where we were hanging out so often and one of us would go to text the other about having lunch,  and a text would come throughfrom that person simply saying: "Lunch?".


I don't know exactly what it was but we just got on well.  After knowing each other for most of our lives,  we were actually proper friends.

I found Emil easy to talk to and there was never any underlying tension like you can get with other friends.  I think that came from also being family.

Emil was,  and still is,  more like a brother than a cousin.  Only I get on better with him than my brothers.


As the years went by,  Emil helped me navigate my different relationship dramas.  He was the first person to tell me that a guy I liked wasn't up to standard.  And to be honest,  he was right 100% of the time.

He approved of Lyndon instantly,  and hey!  Look who I'm married to now?!


Most importantly,  after my disastrous not-dating-but-sort-of-dating-but-actually-not relationship with one particular fellow,  I asked Emil to refrain from getting a girlfriend until after I had gotten a boyfriend.

I told him that I would not be able to cope with losing my best friend until after I had healed from this previous damaging relationship and found someone else.

I don't know if it was intentional or not but Emil didn't start dating anyone until after Lyndon and I were engaged.

It sounds silly,  but it actually meant a lot.

I was in such a fragile state that having Emil there as my friend meant a lot and helped me a lot in getting better.

I will always be grateful to him for that.


At Emil's wedding,  a few different girls said speeches,  claiming that Emil is their best friend.
With the exception of my cousin,  Mariana (Emil's sister), I would just like to point out that you may all think you are best friends with him,  but the last six years are proof that Emil and I are more than best friends. We are best friends AND family.

#boom. :-P


So as I draw this speech to a close,  I just want to say thank you.

Thanks Emil for being such a good friend to me,  for accompanying me at my graduation,  for being a listening ear, for taking me to the movies and to Starbucks. For coming to my gigs and joining me for countless lunches.  For always making sure I'm okay.
Sometimes we don't tell our friends how great they are,  well here I am telling you how great you are (don't get an even bigger head about it,  okay?)

We have had a lot of great memories including but not limited to that time we went and saw Taylor Swift live!

The last few Christmases have not been the same without you.

Cheers for everything!

Here's hoping your 27th year is the best one yet!

I should also probably add that I am glad you found Aleisha and I'm sure you two will be very happy together and thanks for having me in your wedding.

It's nice to know that whatever happens,  we will always be family.


Over and out.

*drop the mic*