If you're anything like me you've been a hopeless romantic all of your life and society has probably blamed Disney movies and Taylor Swift songs for giving you unrealistic expectations in dating. I'm also lucky enough to have grown up with parents who are extremely devoted to each other and I’ve watched all of my siblings fall in love and get married. It's safe to say all of these factors may have made my standards in love exceptionally high and, for a while, I wondered if I would ever find someone who actually met those standards.
However, in December of 2015, I realized I had the potential to have everything I've ever wanted in a relationship. My boyfriend, Chris, and I were good friends before we started dating and had developed feelings for each other over the months prior. In my 20 years on this earth, I can say with complete confidence that falling in love with him has, by far, been the easiest thing I have ever done in my life
Within about a month I found myself thinking the words, “I love you” which scared me because I thought it was way too fast to feel something like that so early on. And fast it was. I fell completely in love with him in about only 2 months, which made me realize there was a huge difference between loving someone and being in love with someone. I knew very early on that he was something special.
Any of my friends will tell you that I am one of the most difficult people to deal with when I’m having a bad day. I’m prone to getting extremely irritable and temperamental and most of the time it’s because I’m tired or hungry. But on my worst days, he is always there saying, “Even when you’re cranky, I still think you’re okay” and it's still, to this day, one of the sweetest things he’s ever said to me. You might not think it’s a big deal, but it’s dealing with me on days like that and battling my overwhelming stubbornness with such love and patience that makes me want to be a better person. He makes me want to be a better person.
I’m also extremely opinionated and very adamant about my beliefs. He supports my passion for feminism and identifies as a feminist himself, which I didn’t know if I would ever be so lucky to find. My ambition and independence has never been lost with him because he shows overwhelming support for me in everything I do every single day. Of course, there are days he challenges me as well and sometimes I have too much pride to admit when he’s right and I’m wrong, but he doesn’t get mad at me for it. He’ll usually just jokingly tease me about it until I say, “I guess you’re right.”
The way he somehow knows when I need him to be serious and when I need a good laugh never ceases to amaze me. I truly don’t know how he does it, but I'm so lucky to know that if I need him for any situation at any time of the day, he will be there ready to take on my problems with me. He’s gotten me through many stressful times, many panic attacks, and many sad events and there will never be enough to words to express how much I appreciate him.
Every worry and thought that gives me anxiety is nonexistent when I’m with him. I know I can unapologetically be myself with him and he is constantly reminding me that I am loved just by the way he looks at me. He gets along with my family and I love being around his own. He shows me so much respect and he treats me like a Queen. He is my best friend in the world.
From the inside jokes to the long and serious talks that have gone until 5 AM, from going to a Mets game to watching a Disney movie on my couch, and from reminiscing about our amazing year together to talking about what we’re excited for in our future, you have shown me time and time again that I am so blessed to love you and be loved by you.
Happy Anniversary My Love
