This is a speech contribution from a friend, Amy who owns a poem website called www.Poemstogo.tv

What can I say about Melissa? She’s my dearest friend in the world.
We’ve been best friends for 15 years and I love her like a sister?
like a best friend.

I’ll never forget the way we met. It was during our first year at college?at the University of West Florida, in Pensacola. We were
rushing the same sorority. Actually, I didn’t meet Melissa first. I met a friend of hers, Missy. Missy was talking a blue streak?and
bragging about a friend of hers named Melissa. I sat there listening to Missy?thinking ?Wow, this girl must really be great.!?

Well, later that night Melissa came into our room and wham-o! I could tell right away what Missy was talking about. I’m not kidding when I say that Melissa exuded a certain kind of glow. She really had something special about her?a presence or something. Whatever it was, it could light up a room ? and it made you want to be near her. Later that night all three of us, Melissa, Missy and I, went out?and we have been inseparable ever since.

Melissa and I made it into that sorority and we lived close to each other in the sorority dorms. A short while after that, we moved into an apartment together. Later on, Melissa decided to transfer to Florida State in Tallahassee. I couldn’t bear to be without her so I transferred, too. Well, we both hated FSU so guess what? We transferred BACK to Pensacola.

The most important thing was to be together. But finally we HAD to split up. Melissa went on to Orlando and received her Master’s in Physical Therapy. I found myself in Birmingham where I earned a doctorate in pharmacy. We maintained a long distance relationship until three years ago when, to my joy, Melissa moved to Birmingham, too!

It was good fortune for me when Melissa moved to Birmingham. It turned out to be good fortune for her, too. It was there, at the University of Alabama Hospital where Melissa the physical therapist met a handsome young doctor named Shaun Donegan. They hit it off right away. In fact, they had their first date that same night, at Panera Bread. Over steamy coffee they looked into each other’s eyes and they found the stirrings of what became the basis for a lifetime of love.

That very same night they also determined that each has a warm and caring nature. And most important, they learned that each has incredibly beautiful white teeth. In short, it was a great date ? and the last first date for both of them. I couldn’t be happier for Melissa and Shaun. And I hope their love always remains as sweet and warm and caring and?loving?as it is today.

I guess when you put two people together over the course of 15 years, even two who are the very best of friends, there are times when fireworks will sort of explode. Melissa and I are both headstrong and emotional, and we’ve had our share of spats.

I remember one time, when we were in the midst of a crazy road trip from Birmingham to San Diego. We had a lot of great times on that trip. But at one point, we got so sick of each other we really mixed it up but good. We even stopped talking at one point. Of course that didn’t stop us from pulling off the road and taking some pictures together.

That whole trip, it seems, were fits of hysterical laughter and then periods of silence when we killed the smiles and tried to act mad. I guess it’s fitting that by the time we finally got to the Pacific, we came up with a brilliant plan to go snorkeling in the ocean.

Well, the undertow almost killed us. No matter what we did to try and get out of that fierce water, we kept getting smashed up against the rocks. Finally, after what seemed like hours, we emerged?bruised?bloody?and laughing our heads off. I guess that little experience is indicative of what real friendship is all about. You really care?with all your heart?but sometimes you get bruised and bloody?and then, with a little care and conviction and honest accountability?you wind up laughing at it all.

That’s my hope and that’s my message to Melissa, my loyal, devoted, giving, funny, crazy and utterly fun-loving best friend.

I love her ridiculous sense of humor – like how she puts chocolate on her teeth so it looks like those teeth are missing.

I love her radiance – that glow that I mentioned when I talked about that first time we met. Melissa is a true beauty, yes. But her most attractive feature, by far, is the warmth that radiates from within her.

I love her consideration and her humility – her generosity and her devotion.

Melissa, dearest friend, best friend – I want you to know that you mean the world to me. And you always will. On this, your wedding day, I wish you and Shaun all the very best for a wonderful lifetime together. And I wish that we will always be the closest of friends – despite those times when we get beat up on the rocks.

Just know, and I say this from my heart, you will always mean the world to me.

Love,

Shanna

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