Best Friends Forever: A Valentine's Day Post in March

I grew up in a little blue house covered in a sheet of constant rain with two loving parents and three siblings. Basically it was as close to a white picket fence as you can get without having a literal white picket fence. We almost always had chickens and a dog running around somewhere and we had a big toy out back where my sister and I would play pirate and mermaid (I was older so it only made sense for me to always be the mermaid). In every sense of the word, my childhood was perfect.

My little blue house ♡

But this post isn't really about my childhood. It is about my parents. My parents are the reason I believe in soul mates. Sometimes I catch my parents looking at each other, they'll literally just be looking at each other, but it's a look that says so much. They are in love with each other in a way that I can only hope to be in love with someone one day.  They have seen every side of one another and they still want to spend the rest of their lives together. Watching them together is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen.

They are the most unlikely duo.

My mom was Valedictorian, Volleyball Team Captain, and the president of probably every club on her high school campus. She is smart and strategic and very aware of her actions.

My dad skipped most of his classes in high school, but I've heard he had some killer parties...He is very intelligent but is too easily distracted to be a great test-taker. He is charismatic and impulsive and so very kind.

They met in college, got engaged, and are still together twenty-five years later. It hasn't always been easy for them. They were trying to raise their first daughter while my dad was a full-time student and had a full-time job. Money was tight while my dad was in the police academy but they made it through. They always made it through. Through thick and through thin. Through sickness and in health. My parents are my biggest inspiration.

On their 25th anniversary trip

I am so much in love with the idea of love. I believe that everyone deserves to be truly and deeply loved. True happiness comes from human connection--when these connections are genuine they can get you through everything life can throw at you. I'm not saying that everyone has to fall in love. I'm simply saying that good friends are important. Without human connection the human race could not progress. We have to learn from each other. More than that, conversation can be a form of meditation and can help relieve anxiety and stress, even for introverts like me.

Ultimately, my biggest piece of advice is to love and be loved.

On the former: love everyone and everything. Even when dealing with an angry customer at work the simple thought "I love this person and God loves this person" can be beneficial. Always be kind. Enjoy the walk to and from that parking space a million miles away from the entrance. When times get tough, breathe and remember that God has a plan for everything and everyone. Smile and remember the little things.

On the latter: though this is less in your control, do what you can. Always be supportive and kind to others. Be positive. Listen to the advice of your friends. Trust and respect others.

These are all overly used sentiments but they are important. Another thing that is very important is to get help when you need it. If you are struggling with a mental illness, reach out! There are people that will help you. Remember that how you feel now will not be how you feel forever. You will be okay.

Love can make you as happy as my parents are. Sure, they have bad days, but they always make it through. Loving yourself and sharing love for others is what makes life worth living. Please remember that I love you.