We're all a little weird. We all do and say things that might be strange to someone else. We all have moments of sadness and madness that aren't that pretty and not really something we want the whole world to see. A lot of times, we don't really want anyone to see. Our flaws and the annoying way we sip coffee in the morning and our picky eating preferences and the odd music we listen to when no one else is around. Yep, that's just being human.
But we put on a mask. We show the world how normal and cool we are. We smile and act happy, we don't talk about how sad we might be about something that happened. We put our weird habits up on the shelf and walk into life every day putting the best of us out on display: we talk about our strengths and our favorite things and we tell stories of our best moments.
There are certainly people who get to see beyond the mask. Our family, friends, parents, siblings. And, of course, the person we are dating.
This person is different than the others, though, because they have a unique role in our lives. They will see the tears, the picky eating, the weaknesses, the rough times, the bad hair days, and the strange habits on a very personal level. They will be the first person you go to when you have a bad day, or you just need to vent, or you need comforting.
In the beginning of my relationship, I was still trying to not let my boyfriend see the rough parts of me. I was conscious about what (and how) I was eating in front of him, I made sure I always looked nice and presentable. I was trying to put my best self forward at all times.
But like all humans ever, my rough parts started to show themselves. My messy way of eating, how I regularly spill my drink at meals, when I cried over losing a sock in the dryer, when I have bad days for no reason and can be a little snippy, when I had to go to hospital in the middle of the night and I looked like an absolute train wreck, when I'm too sassy, when I'm wearing a groutfit (gray sweatpants paired with a gray shirt, really attractive), when I cry over other stupid things, my habit of chewing the straw in a cup, my back pains, my strange music, have I listed enough to make my point?
If he never got see any of those parts of me, he wouldn't know me. My flaws, my weird ways, those are me. A huge part of being in a relationship is seeing those flaws, and knowing all of the details about a person, and still loving them.
I'm blessed to be in a relationship with a man who accepts me in full, who helps clean up the drinks I spill at dinner and lets me vent and cry and talk to him about anything. He brings out the best in me and he encourages me in all of my passions, never failing to support me amidst my shortcomings and bad days. Sure, it was scary to let him in and see my weird ways and my groutfits. But that is what strengthens our relationship: our acceptance and support of each other, no matter the day. Andrew, I am thankful for you every day.
