Your Long-Term Relationship Isn’t About Forever

When I was young, I always wondered what it would be like to be in a long-term relationship.

I thought about what it would be like to be with someone who knows all about your secrets. Or even someone who knows why you like to stay up in the middle of the night, just staring at the ceiling, thinking about what it would be like if you had done things differently.

I used to wonder what it would be like to have someone to share my everyday troubles with or even how I always get lazy when it comes to brushing my hair. Most importantly, I wondered what it would be like to put down my walls and tell someone why I find it hard to trust anyone else but myself.

I only gave pieces of myself because I thought the big ones weren’t supposed to be spilled unless I knew the person would really stay. Then, I found out that it was always the small ones that actually matter.

It’s the small ones that make the big ones important.

I realized that a relationship isn’t about what you’re doing together but rather enjoying the time spent together. A relationship isn’t about who gets to pick which movie to watch or who has to clean the dishes. None of it matters if you don’t like the person you’re spending your time with.

I realized that it doesn’t matter how long you’ve been together but rather how far you got in the ocean you were so afraid to dive into.

It’s not about the number of vacations together; it’s about the storms you both endured together, hand-in-hand.

It’s not about the laughs or tears shed but rather how willing you are to stand beside that person as they move along in life. You won’t interfere with their growth. You’ll be the sun that helps them grow into the person they should be.

Long-term relationships aren’t about forever; they’re about the bond that you are so afraid to lose.

It’s the friendship that keeps on tying you together and getting mad at them for the smallest reasons feels silly.

Forgiveness and trust is now a big part of your relationship along with honesty and faithfulness.

And it’s not easy. Nothing is.

There are times when you get bored and tired of arguing about the same things over and over again. There are times when you will wish that you never have to wake up to see the other person’s face again. But you won’t give up. And not because of how long you’ve been together, but because you know you can’t find anyone who will know you better than you even know yourself.

We say the exact same things at the exact same time. We have the same thoughts so often that sometimes I wonder if he’s actually reading my mind.

Now, we have all these stupid codes and inside jokes that only the two of us can understand. We know about each other’s past and we’re not ashamed to talk about it.

Tell me, is it still about forever?

I guess not, it’s about how willing we are to do our parts just to keep this bond strong and intact.

It’s about working together as one. It’s about trying and never giving up even when things are rough.

Most importantly, it’s about believing.