Most everyone dreams of finding their person, the perfect person. From a very young age, I started to think about who it could be or what I wanted in someone. I think Disney fairytales set a certain expectation that every girl should have, which is every girl should be treated like a princess and adored as the girls in the movies are. As time goes on, I have realized that not all fairytales go exactly as planned, but they are all just as beautiful as they are in the movies.

Nothing is truly perfect, but having something that is perfectly imperfect is what it might be all about.

Today, September 4th, my parents have been dating for 26 years and married for 23 years in November. How cool is that? Before my parents ever started dating, they were best friends, which I find even cooler. The relationship that my parents have built is truly special. Still, my mom and dad are best friends and are a team and still do all the little things that show each other that they care. By supporting each other and being each other's person, they have shown my sister and me what it truly means to have a marriage and love someone. Because they are a team together, they have given my sister and me a true and strong support system. Being able to keep the love alive for 26 years is something that I would love to have. Their relationship is a real-world fairytale, and that is what I wish to have.

Choosing someone who chooses you each and every day is truly a special thing.

Having seen my parents together for this many years has shown me what it truly means to keep choosing someone over and over again. The love they have for each other that keeps growing has taught me so much about love for myself and love for other people. My parents teaching this to my sister and me has made us have high expectations to not settle for someone who won't pick you every day, over and over again.

Loving someone for who they are and all their flaws and all their imperfections, and loving them even more for that is what a true, real-life fairytale is all about.

Knowing that someone you choose every day and chooses you back is such an amazing feeling. There are people, like your family and friends, that choose you every day and love you for who you are is really what life is all about. Whether it's romantically or not, you have people that you choose because you love them for who they are.

I know I wouldn't be the same without having my parents show me what it truly means to love. Out of all the life lessons my parents have taught me, this is my favorite one.