Why I love John

• Because I can tell him anything about myself, and know he's not going to stop loving me, even when my thoughts or feelings make me feel particularly unlovable. (In other words, because he is my best friend.)
• Because he's a lot more laid-back than I am, which is sometimes good because our differences in this area allow us to help each other with things that require the other perspective, and sometimes good because he serves as a role model for me when I need to be more laid-back.
• Because we share common values and ideas:
  • About marriage.
  • About money and planning for the future.
  • About responsibility -- doing what you say you're going to do.
  • About law and government -- we're the kind of people who believe that voting and participating in government is a responsibility of citizenship, and that on the whole, it is a good idea to obey the law.
  • About the importance of having a coherent belief system.
  • About the importance of not engaging in violence (on a personal level).
  • About the importance of reading, books, and libraries.
  • Etc.
• Because I trust him.
• Because we resolve problems without fighting, through the sensible discussion we both value.
• Because I feel comfortable and secure with him.