I never wanted a love like a princess; I didn’t feel the need to be rescued that way. But Casper the Friendly Ghost set me up for unrealistic expectations. I wanted a person who would cross the boundaries of life and death for me. So desperate to keep me there was magic between us.

I wasn’t someone locked in an ivory tower or a girl with seven shorter roommates who helped me with my chores. I was a weird misfit kid who believed in the supernatural and made potions out of colored water. Edward Scissorhands and Nightmare Before Christmas were more my speed. It couldn’t be love if it wasn’t a little dark.

Practical Magic about ruined me. How could I not write down a spell of all the qualities I wanted in a partner? I had to swallow my disappointment when there was no backward cowboy for me. And when I found a love that left only bruises, there was no rose garden to bury him under.

Movie magic made me believe in love that was big, bold, and mystical. Most days I feel like I found that. There was no spell or curse, just a lucky swipe right on a dating app. But I still feel butterflies when we kiss and I can sometimes read your mind. The universe led me to you.

We aren’t ghosts or monsters (most days). We are just two people navigating life together. I love the magic we have, the life we’ve built. It’s more than any fairytale or Disney movie because it’s ours. Our very own Happily Ever After.