1. You’re comfortable in his presence. When you’re in an awkward social situation, you’re not as anxious as long as his hand is cocooned in yours. And when there’s a lull in conversation, your love drowns out the sounds of silence. You’re at peace when he’s by your side.

2. You’re authentic with him. You let him see you naked — stripped of your makeup, stripped of your clothing, and stripped of the fraudulent attitude you wear around strangers. He knows you. Every inch of you.

3. Intimacy consists of more than just sex. He gives you access to the innermost corners of his heart and mind. Sleeping together isn’t the only way you connect. You connect by communicating, by allowing yourselves to be vulnerable, by experiencing life as a unit.

4. Your conversations are unstoppable. The words spill from your lips without any conscious effort. You can just talk and talk and talk about any topic. You’re intellectually attracted to each other.

5. You have the same set of morals. You share important life goals and family values, which keeps your relationship strong. It allows you to picture your collective future. It allows you to see from the same set of eyes.

6. Every touch comes naturally. You don’t have to think about where to kiss him or how much tongue to add. You just kiss him. Your bodies have a natural rhythm.

7. You can sense when something is wrong. He never has to verbalize that he’s had a bad day. When he walks through the door, you can tell if things went his way or fell off course. You can tell if he needs a hug or some serious space.

8. Your feelings for him are inexpressible. You can list the things you love about him — but you can’t sum up why your relationship works with any real accuracy. There’s something about your love that goes beyond the spoken word.

9. He helps you heal. He’s always by your side with bandages, ready to help you seal up any wound the universe inflicts. He isn’t your savior, the reason your body finds the will to breath, but he inspires you to save yourself. He reminds you why life (and love) is worth it.

10. Laughter is a constant. You have the same sense of humor, so you’re always swapping smiles. When you’re together, the world feels lighter. Less morbid. More hopeful.

11. You have similar minds. You accuse him of hijacking your thoughts, because he commonly vocalizes the thing that you were literally just thinking about yourself. It’s as if your brains are tethered together.

12. Everything feels easier when you’re with him. Sometimes, you disagree. Sometimes, you argue. Sometimes, it’s hard to hold onto your love. But most of the time, things are actually pretty easy. Things feel right. There’s no other way to explain it.