Some of my earliest memories include sitting on the couch with my dad, watching TV on the weekends. If anyone knows my father, you know how much he loves to laugh and enjoys making others laugh as well. On these Saturdays we would sit, and he would laugh at the TV and I would laugh with him. I didn’t really understand the jokes, but just seeing him laugh made me want to laugh too.

Now if you know me, you know I laugh more than I breathe. I obviously get it from my father, who is for this reason and a thousand others my best friend on this planet. There’s not a day that I don’t think about how lucky I am to have a father like him, and it hurts my heart that some people aren’t close with their dads or don’t even know their fathers at all.

My dad is harder on me than anyone. He pushes me to be the best person I can be, and has never thought that there was a battle I couldn’t win. I’d be lying if I said this wasn’t hard for me at times. Sometimes having someone like that can be scary because you never want to let them down. However, because I have someone who believes in me so much, it pushes me to believe in myself too.

Another time when I was probably about fifteen, my dad and I had one of our long conversations while driving around in his truck. He began talking to me about life and how he knew I was going to do great things. He then said something I’ll never forget, “If I had to give you one piece of advice, it would be to never settle. That’s one thing I look back on and know that I did, and it’s not something I want you to do. Don’t settle in a relationship, at a job, or anywhere else.”

Because of my dad, I don’t settle. I don’t stay in situations where I know I deserve better. Because of my dad, I laugh loudly and often because life is too short to be anything but happy. Because of my dad, I am the woman I am today.

Dad, this one is for you. Thank you for always believing in me, for never letting me forget my worth, and above all for being my best friend. I’m so lucky to have you and I’m not sure where I would be without you.