When You Know He’s A Keeper

You’ve dated other people before, but no man has ever surpassed your romanticized expectations of a true and loving relationship until now. The butterflies you felt at the beginning of the loves you’ve had before were fleeting, but you know what you feel now feel is just the start of the incredible feelings and emotions that will encompass you when you’re together. The emotions are familiar, but the intensity at which you feel them isn’t.

Your arguments are silly, and they’re over just as quickly as they began. Although each one stings, you both know that no healthy relationship can actually survive without the occasional tiff. No matter the frequency of your quarrels, they never have a lasting impact. No matter how the arguments start, the purpose is never to cause you any pain. When they’re over, you each can move past without having to hide any hidden resentment.

He listens to you. He doesn’t just give the occasional head nod or surprised facial expression to feign his interest. He cares about your opinions on both trivial and significant matters. You’re captivated when he talks about things that wouldn’t normally interest you. Just the mere fact that he’s the one speaking draws you right in. You can have emotionally charged intellectual discussions without getting truly angry at each other. You can also have heated Swiss vs. Cheddar cheese debates just for fun. Very few topics are off-limits.

He accepts that you have a past, and doesn’t hold anything over your head. He doesn’t judge you for past mistakes, and tries to be understanding when you make new ones. He doesn’t try to make you jealous to get a rise out of you, and he tries his best to assure that you don’t feel inferior to anyone. He’s not perfect, and neither are you. Your relationship can, and never will be anywhere near perfection. With him, it might just feel like it couldn’t get any better. That’s how you know it’s worth every effort.