We all thought we wanted the mysterious, romantic “bad guy.” We thought we wanted the guy that had feelings as deep as the ocean, and knew exactly what to say. It’s natural to want to be a part of that enticing image painted before you in romance novels and movies with pretty bad actors. However, often times the reality is not as beautiful as the dream. That guy isn’t really the best guy. The excitement of the drama wears away quickly when the stress and instability start to swallow you. We all want the epic love, but the best lovers are also the best friends.
The men you stay with are the ones with dependable, honest, comical and caring natures. They are the ones that put you first, and bring simple laughter to your life, rather than more stress. They are laid back and positive. They don’t try to consume you. They are the goofballs. They are the guys with the big hearts, that say the wrong thing sometimes, but always come through for you. They’re your best friend. They’re better than the movies. They’re just a guy, and they’re great at it. They won your heart with the simple little actions that make them perfect for you.
The signs:
1. When it comes to gift-buying, you have probably had to laugh a few times and think of the phrase, “It’s the thought that counts.”
2. Sometimes you still find yourself in complete awe of some of the ridiculous crap that comes out of his mouth.
3. He can get a lot of enjoyment out of the simple things in life.
4. Basically, getting his favorite kind of ice cream or watching his sports team win will make him absolutely elated, and it’s awesome.
5. He rarely has mood swings.
6. He doesn’t say anything to you with the intention of instilling hidden meaning. You have learned not to read into things with him because there is honestly no point in doing so.
7. He comes through for you. You know you can depend on him.
8. He never picks a fight or creates problems where there aren’t any.
9. He can make you laugh in literally any situation, some of which you were trying not to laugh during.
10. He doesn’t hold a grudge or draw out disagreements. He would much rather say forget it and go get Mexican food and margaritas.
11. He doesn’t always understand your “girl” problems, but the poor guy does try.
12. He’s honest with you. Sometimes it feels too honest at times and you hold back urges to smack his insensitive little face. But you know he never tries to manipulate or deceive you.
13. He doesn’t freak out and create absurd cheating scenarios if you don’t text him back for awhile.
14. And if he doesn’t talk to you for a little while, you know odds are he’s sitting somewhere playing FIFA with his buddies or he randomly fell asleep, and the only thing he is on top of is a fruit roll-up wrapper he left on the couch.
15. He doesn’t mind making a fool of himself if it means getting a smile out of you.
16. He doesn’t try to take you from your friends and family. He wants you to love everyone you love and be happy, and never tries to hold you back from relationships with others.
17. He knows what he wants and doesn’t doubt your relationship, even if you do at times. He’s either in or out, and you know he will tell you either way.
18. He handles difficult situations with brilliant patience. He just calmly takes hardships as they come and evaluates the situation for what it is.
19. He grounds you when you need him to.
20. He has gotten progressively better at relating to you. He has learned and paid attention enough to not be totally clueless as to how the mysterious females operate.
21. He doesn’t have any problem spending time with the people you introduce him to. He doesn’t cause conflict with the people you love. He just goes with it and gets along with everyone.
22. He keeps his word.
23. He doesn’t play games.
24. He never tries to make decisions for you. He respects your ability to make them yourself.
25. He stays out of the drama around him and just does his own thing.
26. You have hounded him at least once or twice for not caring about something as much as you wish he did, only to realize it really didn’t matter that much anyway.
27. You have some pretty funny stories about some of his attempts at romance. Still you know you wouldn’t trade any of those moments for the world because the genuine nature at which they were done made them so special to you.
28. You can count on your hands how many times he has really raised his voice to you. He doesn’t call you names or degrade you. He doesn’t fly off the handle without warning.
29. You have the best time with him doing the simplest of things. Board games, movie marathons, pillow forts, long walks, jam-session car rides, take-out, dancing, funny videos and living room wrestling matches are impeccable experiences to the two of you. You don’t need anything but each other to have a blast.
30. He’s your best friend. You know he would always choose you, and always have your back. You know he’ll always bring sunshine to the most plain parts of life. You know he respects your independence and wants what’s best for you. You know he won’t bring you complications or dramatic affairs. He just brings you hugs that swallow you whole, laughter that makes your stomach hurt and forehead kisses when you feel like the world is tumbling down.
This is why this kind of man is the real hero we’re all looking for from the movies. He keeps it simple in a world that makes life far too complicated. Happiness is supposed to be simple, and trust me, so is love.
Photo Credit: We Heart It