Tonight, I watched 20/20 on ABC with my mom. The story was about the life of an autistic boy who, at 2 1/2 years old stopped speaking and responding to his family. Over the next few years, the only way that the boy was able to communicate was through the lines and voices of Disney movies. He is a grown man now, and is about as normal as any other adult, and of course, he still loves everything about Disney. This got me thinking how Disney has impacted my life in such a positive way that I feel like I should thank the Disney company for everything they've done. Not just in my life, but many other lives as well.

To the wonderful world of Disney: thank you for everything you have done for me. Since I was a little girl, I can't remember a time where I wasn't watching a Disney movie. I remember a specific time where I was about four or five and I had to leave a party my parents took me to because I was sick. As soon as I got home I asked my dad to put in Snow White and the Seven Drawfs and I instantly was comforted by the sound of Snow White's melodic voice. I remember going to my grandparents house after school on more than one occasion and popping in The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh and all my cares would melt away with that "willy nilly silly old bear." It was as if there was nothing that Disney couldn't fix.

And when I was younger and afraid of the dark when going to bed, all I would do is put in a Disney movie and I felt immediate relief as I was lulled to sleep by "Hakuna Matata" in The Lion King and "Kiss The Girl" in The Little Mermaid. Eventually when I got older and wasn't afraid of the dark anymore, I would just watch the movies as I went to be because it was a habit! It's probably why I can quote so many Disney movies so well. In fact, I watched Tangled for an entire month and can quote the movie beginning to end!

Disney didn't just help me when I was little, even to this day it has helped me through growing up situations as well, such as a broken heart. There comes a time in every girl's life where she experiences her first heart break. It feels as if there is nothing that will help you get over that first one. You thought he was your Prince Charming and it turned out that he was a Hans all along. These movies were there to show me that I was worthy of someone to love me and all of my quirks and that someday, my prince would come (Snow White pun intended.) I was just a princess in the sad part of my movie.

The truth is, I can't remember there being a time where Disney was not there for me. From stressing out while studying for a test, to facing some of the hardest tragedies in my life, Disney and these amazing movies have been there through it and seen me to the light at the end of the tunnel. It truly has been one of the most constant things in my life and I know that it will never let me down. It has taught me to dream big, seek adventure, and love unconditionally. Disney movies are not just for kids. They make us feel all sorts of emotions. We are saddened by the death of Mufasa. We feel joyful when Peter Pan teaches Wendy, John and Michael to fly. Heck, I cry every single time I watch "I See The Light" in Tangled. Don't judge. I am a dreamer, but I also know that life is a very complex matter, to loosely quote Walt Disney. So thank you for all that you have done for me Disney, you truly are magical.

Love,

a princess at heart