Someone special gave me this today, a belated birthday gift dedicated to the personas we play and the love that reaches beyond the characters.

I've known  Kinnyfox for four years now, and in these four years, I can safely say he is the best friend I will ever have -- my shoulder to cry on, the bearer of my trust, an endless wealth of wisdom, compassion, and understanding for all of life's woes. We've shared in our good and bad days together, both as cause and solution, but in spite of our arguments -- fights that would normally destroy internet friendships in one click -- he's one of few I've ever come back to, loving stronger than before.

You can call our friendship superficial. You can argue its falsities, those often grounded in the long-distance, temporary nature of the internet. You can preach the values of "real life" and how trustworthy tangible relationships are. You can tell me it's all a lie because I can't touch the person behind the screen to prove his existence, his worth, his affection.

I care for none of these excuses. He's more than just a friend to me; he's truer family than blood itself, and I only wish I could tell you all the reasons why.

Here's to forty more.

Art:  Occoris
Kin (bottom left), Sierra (top right):  Kinnyfox
Aeonis (bottom right), Belle (top left):  Cen_Aeonis