I know what love is. I’ve never actually been in love myself but I see it all around me. The way my parents’ open up their arms to me when I come to them after a long day, when my dog scratches on my door to wake me up and when my sister lets me crawl into her bed. I especially see it in my parents, how they act around each other. Being the closest people to me, I am constantly reminded that such a love exists outside of books and movies. Their kind of love is considered rare in the world now and I know how lucky I am to see it for myself every day. They always share a bed and when they spend a night away from each other they’re sure to call to wish each other goodnight before bed. They’re patient with each other. My mum puts up with my dad’s jokes and apologises on his behalf with a smile on her face. My dad listens to my mum’s far-fetched theories and puts her worries to rest with a reasonable explanation. Most importantly, they never give up., on each other, on our family, on their marriage. They knew what they were getting into when they commited to each other. I never worry about them because I’ve been around for 18 of their 19 years of marriage and in all that time they’ve made it through the tough parts. I think it’s because ultimately their love for each other is stronger than any obstacles they face. My dad always reminds me that he loves my mum even more now than he did when they first started dating and my mum never left his side as they moved all over the country. Whatever they do, they do it together.

When my dad sides with my mum during a family fight, when I have to go through both parents before getting permission to go out, when they talk in hushed whispers to each other when they think they’re out of sight, these little things remind me that they love each other in everything they do.