You keep her by being the man that she always dreamed of. And that’s not perfection or a prince or someone without flaws. You keep her, just by being you.

You keep her by listening to her. By truly listening to her when she tells you about her day at work. Even if it’s boring or mundane. Even if it’s stressful and intense and painful. You listen.

You keep her by knowing that you will never be able to take all of her pain away. And knowing that she will never fully be able to take away yours. But by knowing that at least having each other, is better than anything else you can even imagine.

You keep her by understanding her. By understanding that she is not perfect, and neither are you. By understanding that she may not always do what you want her to do or say because she doesn’t need a man for help or for validation. By understanding that she is strong with or without you. And by understanding that she is her own person. And that is breathtaking.

You keep her by being patient with her. By not raising your voice every time she does something that scares or frightens you. By not assumming anything. By not jumping to conclusion after conclusion.

You keep her by being empathetic. And when she has a breakdown at work, you keep her by hugging her and holding her tight and kissing her tear dripping face. You keep her when she has a panic attack and all you can do is say, ‘it’s going to be okay. We are going to get through this. You are stronger than your own demons’. You keep her by knowing that she is stronger than you will ever be.

You keep her in the little things. In the way you clean up the dishes before she comes home because you know it stresses her out when it isn’t done. You keep her through the small way you always smile at her, even when she’s sleeping. You keep her in the way you say her name and in the way you tell her so steadily and strongly that you love her.

You keep her in the way you adore her, even when she doesn’t feel like she is lovable at all. You keep her in how you love and cherish her, even when she doesn’t want to be cherished. You keep her by always fighting for her and for the endless river of love you have for her.

You keep her by never giving her a reason to leave.

And you keep her, not by being perfect, but by being the perfect person for her. By being her perfect match, even if it’s not always lit.