Every Disney movie portrays love as a “happily ever after” and as my seven-year-old self, that's all I really knew about love. Growing up, my favorite Disney princess movie was Sleeping Beauty because it ended in a happily ever after, but so did every Disney princess movie that I grew up watching. As Aurora says “If you dream a dream more than once, it’s sure to become true.” So I truly believed that everyone got a happily ever after because it was engraved in my mind. But the truth is, love does not always turn out the way everyone hopes.

It all began when I was seven years old. My brother and I would walk home together each day. When coming home from school our routine always started off with telling our parents about our day. But as I walked up to the stairs, I got the impression that something was not right. My parents seemed as if they were trying to hide back the tears as they said the words “We're getting a divorce.” Sitting there I was very confused because it was the first time that I heard of that word. Little did I know, “divorce” was something that was going to take take the reins in my life. The first few days seemed to be all a dream until my dad moved out and I had to go back and forth between houses.

As weeks went past I was still in a confused state but this time it was for a different reason. I was confused because of the constant sadness that showed on everyone's faces. I finally began to understand the word “divorce” and this led me to blame my dad. I was so mad because in my mind he destroyed our perfect family. Living with one parent at a time made this dream become more real, with each day dragging by, it began to get harder and harder for me to accept this harsh reality. I began hiding to escape the noise, but it only worked shortly because the fighting grew louder. I could not get the constant echo out of my head.

A month later I came up with a plan to get my parents back together. At first, I pretended to be sick because I knew both of them would try to take care of me, making them at the same place at the same time, which ultimately failed. I tried and tried to convince them but it seemed to pull them farther apart. Reality came crashing down and there was no changing it. People around me started to sense a change in my mood and offered to help, but that was the last thing I wanted. Spending more time at school seemed to be my only escape from home. But then shortly after, I was told I was going to lose that too. Soon after, my mom brought my brother and I to a building where we talked with a counselor to help relieve the pain and discomfort. However, I still did not want anyone to help me. I wanted to deal with it alone.

A year had passed and my parents both found someone new. My picture perfect family was being slowly being destroyed. My only thought was that my mom's boyfriend would replace my dad, or my dad's girlfriend would replace my mom. Finally, my dad decided to introduce my siblings and I to his girlfriend. When meeting her the last feeling that I expected I to have was fear but sure enough, that was what I was feeling. I feared not being liked by someone that could be a big part of my life. When meeting my moms boyfriend the same feeling rippled throughout my body. But his children were my main fear because I felt like they would need to accept me in order for there dad too. There was just so much pressure hanging on my shoulders.

Four years later my dad and stepmom took us on a vacation to South Dakota. When visiting we stayed in a trailer house. During our stay, the weather was so terrible that the walls of the trailer house were shaking causing me to have an anxiety attack. But If it wasn’t for my stepmom I would have never calmed down. Each and every day my step parents continue to support and encourage me. Throughout this whole experience, I thought that I had lost love, but I have gained more love then I could have imagined. And they truly make me the happiest person that I could be.

There are still days where I wish this was all a dream. However, as each day passes I become stronger because of those who I surround myself with. Although my life did not turn out perfect, my parent divorce has shaped who I am today. One of many things I'm grateful for is my extended family who helps me and always encourages me to be my best self. Most importantly, I now know that receiving help when needed is something that I should have done in the beginning, and it’s something that I will continue to receive through the rest of my life.