My generation seems to be famous for one night stands, hook-ups rather than relationships, and burying ourselves in work rather than taking the time to nurture the ever so important social relationships surrounding us. With our love/hate feelings toward commitment, it’s hard for any of us in Generation Y to develop real and genuine connections.

I am fortunate enough to come from a family where my parents are still married. This solid foundation provided me with the concept of what a successful marriage is supposed to look like. However, my parents’ marriage is not the only one I base my concept of love and respect from. My great grandparents were the epitome of true love and what a marriage should be about. To this day, some of the best advice I’ve ever heard about life, love and relationships comes from their wisdom.

I’ve been told several times that I’m incredibly lucky to have met the love of my life so early in life. For some, it takes a life time before they meet “the one,” and then they only get a few short years together. I think it’s important to remember that no matter what time you have together; you need to cherish every moment you are blessed to have. I met my very own Prince Charming when we were working in Disney World. In just a short time, we realized how special our connection was. He is my best friend, boyfriend, soul mate and greatest supporter in absolutely everything I do.

We are often told how perfect we seem for each other and even after years together how happy we look. Yes, I hit the lottery when I met Zach. No, not every day of our lives is a fairytale like the day we met. Our relationship still meets its fair share of difficult conversations and decisions. However, we do not let small things infiltrate the incredibly strong bond we’ve created. It’s critical to remember that the hard times will always pass and this is still the person you want to be standing next to when the storm leaves.

While Zach and I are both incredibly busy with work, we still manage to fit in date nights, no matter how ridiculous they sound. With Zach working two jobs, it’s close to impossible to find time during the day to go out for a few hours together. Our date nights often consist of trips to the 24-hour Walmart, lots of Redbox movies and cuddle sessions with our bulldog. Some nights, like tonight, we get really lucky and actually get to enjoy a full night together at the drive-in movies!

No matter what the situation is, you need to remember that relationships are still going to be work even if you think the person you’re dating poops bars of gold. Whether you’ve been together for two years or 32 years, never stop dating each other. I’m incredibly lucky that I met the person I want to share my life with so early on in life. Every day we spend together is the best day of my life. For the risk of sounding cheesy, he really is the greatest thing to happen to me. When you know how important they are to you, don’t let them go.