Imagine a moment in your life where all of your dreams come true. Who’s standing next to you? For me, and anyone who knows me, it’s simple. My dad is my best friend, my idol, and the greatest person I have ever known, and he’s my choice. To call me a daddy’s girl would be an understatement, and if you knew how great my dad was, you would love him too.

He lights up every room he enters and carries himself with integrity, strength, and charisma. I don’t know how I could ever live without him, and I don’t ever wish to. I’m the luckiest girl in the world to have been raised by such a wonderful man, and I hope to be just like him someday.

When you have the best dad on the planet, you can tell him anything you want to, without judgment. He encourages you to take risks and leap outside of your comfort zone, because he knows that your potential has no limits. He puts his family first, and regardless of any pain he endures or obstacles he faces, he remains a warrior and will always be your hero. He urges you to strive for excellence in all that you do, and if you fall, he pushes you to rise up again and move forward in the direction of your dreams. He is your biggest fan, and wants nothing more than to see you happy and fulfilled.

He defines the meaning of trust. When everything is falling apart and you feel lost, alone, and incapable, he is the rock that remains constant. He will cherish you and celebrate you for who you are, and his love is unconditional. He will teach you how to respect others, and most importantly, to respect yourself. Every girl deserves a father who reminds her how powerful, beautiful, and strong she is—especially when she cannot see it within herself. He teaches her the importance of family and love, and how there is nothing more important than those two things in the whole wide world.

Although his jokes are corny, he brings so much joy into every day. He knows what it means to work hard and to be successful, but also places a great emphasis on relaxing and enjoying what you worked so hard to achieve. He thrives off of great music and tradition, and molds you into a person who cannot imagine living without either. Not to mention, one of the best things that Dad has ever taught me is that no meal is complete without some form of dessert.

Every day, my dad gives me so much to be grateful for. He saves my life over and over again, and I don’t know how I could ever repay him. For decades, he worked so hard to provide my family and me with everything we need and a lot of what we want, and I cannot thank him enough. I know that no matter what happens, he will catch me if I fall, and will do anything to bring me happiness. He is an inspiration and a leader who remains humble and kind, and I could not admire him more for it. No words can truly describe how much he means to me, but in his heart, he knows that he is everything.

Someday, I hope to find a husband that treats our children the way you treated my brothers and I. No matter what, you will always be my first Valentine and one of the leading men in my life. I love you forever, for always, and free.

I will always be your sunshine.