The first time my other half was away, I kept imagining our heart pounding reunion, complete with butterflies and uncontrollable joy.
Instead, I found myself with a quiet smile on my face and an overwhelming sense of calm.
It baffled me. Shouldn’t I feel the urge to jump into his arms and have him carry me off into the sunset?
If this has ever happened to you, you know that it can be a little unsettling.
No, you haven’t lost that loving feeling for your boo-thang. And I promise it’s not that absence did not, in fact, make your heart grow fonder.
You’ve just reached a new place in your relationship, you’re finally… COMFORTABLE. *gasp*
Rather than being a warning sign, feeling comfortable usually means you’ve reached an awesome place in your relationship and this person could be the one you’ve been looking for.
Here’s how you know you found a keeper:
1. Pet names become insults.
Being called “babe” is adorable, but you'll eventually graduate to greeting each other with things like “nerd” and “jerk”.
“Sup, butt-face,” just has a better ring to it.
2. Compliments become insults.
You know each other well enough to know not to take it too far. Yes, you may throw around some insults, but they come from love and the point isn’t to hurt anyone, just to poke some fun.
Just remind your S.O. that more insults = more love.
3. You forget to kiss hello.
It happens. You'll see your S.O. after a long day and just fall into step with each other.
There have been days when two hours pass before I realize I still haven't kissed my S.O. properly and said hello.
4. You don’t need to talk to have a conversation.
You have your own language and most of the time you can speak with only gestures and facial expressions.
Sometimes you’re even able to have both sides of the conversation while he just looks at you and nods.
5. You ignore each other.
Now, I’m not saying that you tune each other out (even though you probably do sometimes.) I’m talking about hanging out, in the same room, and doing your own things with little to no interaction.
Maybe you’re reading and your beau is on the computer. Or maybe you’re both on your phones and you occasionally trade articles or photos.
This is even funnier when you don’t live together because you actually had to make the effort to be in the same room and you still end up ignoring each other.
Hey, sometimes being together is enough.
6. Some things are just understood.
Yes, this is similar to the “don’t need to talk to communicate” one, but hear me out. If your boo gets up to get a snack or drink, they know not to come back without something for you.
Your beau knows when your drink needs to be refilled and you know when it's time for him to switch to water. This isn't glamorous, but it's still a sign of deep intimacy.
Don’t go running for the hills when you realize you're comfortable; you’ll still get butterflies, the sparks are still there, you’ve just settled into your little niche.
It’s a beautiful thing, really. Sure, your relationship may no longer be like the final scene of your favorite Rom-Com, but it’s evolved into something much cozier.
You’re done impressing each other and now you can just be yourselves. If that doesn’t send your S.O. running, you just may have hooked yourself a keeper.
