Meredith Grey and Cristina Yang -- possibly the most notorious best friend duo (and my personal favorite) in television within the last decade. The pair have taught many of us the unbreakable bond that goes further than friendship, and dips into a new category the two have coined “my person.” Your person is the one who is there for you when your husband leaves you at the altar, the one who has 30 second dance parties with you after a long day, the one who knows what you’re thinking before you even know it. I have my best friend; she’s my soulmate, the girl who knows me better than I know myself. But if you were to ask me who my person is, I would respond with no hesitation or doubt in my mind. My person is, or rather my people are, my parents.

We hear stories about when parents see their babies for the first time; those magical stories that people have difficulty explaining to outsiders. These parents that are beginning the most important journey into their lives feel pride, vulnerability and true, tender love. From that very moment they lay eyes on us, we encompass their entire world with our miniscule, fragile little bodies. Growing up, I got embarrassed when my mom licked her finger and wiped food off of my cheek, or when my dad would try to put my hair in a ponytail. I complained when they wouldn’t let me go to a football game or made me finish my milk and eat my veggies before leaving the dinner table. I fought when I didn’t get my own way, and I hated the way my parents sheltered me. I never took into consideration that they were doing anything and everything they could to protect me, to make sure I was always doing the right thing in every facet of my life. I didn’t appreciate the hard work and dedication they put in to raising three girls, two years apart at the same time. All the kicking, screaming and arguing was well worth the protection and guidance I gained from you two.

These decisions they made for me while I was younger molded me into the person I am today and steered me away from situations that could have threatened the actions I could have taken for the rest of my life. I appreciate the innumerable times you never backed down and for never becoming a passive member in my life even when I had pushed you away. There have been times when I shut you out but you never let my terrible teenage years get in the way of your love for me. Evolving into the stages of adulthood brings us back to those first days we had here on earth. But now, we are the ones feeling pride, vulnerability and true, tender love for our parents. I am so incredibly, undeniably proud to call you two my parents.

After twenty years, I have found it difficult, almost impossible, to put into words the gratitude I hold in my heart toward the two of you. Here is the appropriate “thank you” you deserve, and I hope this helps you truly realize how much you are cherished. Thank you for being my shoulders to cry on, whether it be over the countless heartbreaks, or the bad test grades, or the fights with friends. Thank you for never turning your backs on me when I was not always that precious “little” 10 pound baby when you first saw me. The amount of times you have given me forgiveness could not possibly be counted in a lifetime. Thank you for the selflessness you have shown me, for always putting me and my sisters before yourselves without even thinking twice.

Dad, thank you for giving me the expectations for what I deserve in a man in life. Thank you for helping me understand my self-worth. Thank you for teaching me to never settle for less than I deserve. I used to resent how you were over protective of your “baby girls”, but your signature, “make sure you tell those boys your dad is in the military” line has yet to let me down. Mom, thank you for drilling the words into my head, “don’t sweat the small stuff.” You went to grad school while you were pregnant and still received a 4.0. You have endured so many unwelcomed and over stayed hospital visits and a million surgeries (literally a million). You have gone through raising six children and have always done everything in your power to put every single one of us before your own safety and well-being. You have experienced enough hardships in life that an average person couldn’t survive going through. After the longest days of your life, you still serve dinner with a smile on. You still tell us how grateful you are, for every obstacle you have overcome in life has brought you where you are today.

Your relationship inspires me. The news of your divorce at the young age of seven was difficult to understand, and the thoughts that ran through my head were “was it my fault?” You two have exemplified the definition of love to me. Thank you, mom, for sitting seven hours in the waiting room with us while dad was in surgery. Dad, thank you for never getting too upset with mom when she walks in your house (without knocking) and sits down on the couch with us. Whether the two of you will ever admit it or not, the bond you two have together is stronger than any I have seen in my life. The unconditional love and support you have shown me, as a divorced couple, is unfathomable.

Now, living on my own, what I wouldn’t give to be back home with you two every night, eating real home cooked meals, having mom rub my back and watching the Yankees game with dad, yelling at the TV like we were actually right there in the stadium. The memories you two weirdos have given me will last a lifetime, and I cherish them with every sense of my being.

You two have given me my amazing, beautiful, perfect life and I could never begin thank you enough for that. If I can be even half the parents you two are to me someday to my children, I think I’ll be able to get along just fine. Thank you for being the glue that holds me together. Thank you, mom and dad, for being “my person.”