When You’re In Love, You Act Like It

When you’re in love, you act like it. All of the time. Not only when your person is around to squeeze your hand and place kisses across your cheeks.

When you’re in love, you think about your person even when you are miles apart. Even when you haven’t seen each other in weeks. Even when you haven’t gotten a text from them in hours.

You don’t forget that you’re in a relationship when the other person is out of eyesight. You don’t flirt with your coworkers or make eyes with strangers during your commute, because your person will never learn about it. Because it’s harmless, innocent, no big deal in the long run.

You stay loyal to your person, even in little ways. Because the little ways still count.

When you’re in love, you treat your person with respect, even when they aren’t around to hear what you have to say. You don’t talk about them behind their back as if they are a burden. You don’t poke fun at them about their cooking or their clothing or their mother when you’re out with friends. You don’t turn your person into a running joke that you keep hidden from them.

When you’re in love, you speak highly about your person, even when the compliments aren’t going to get back to them, because you truly believe they are valuable. You mean it when you say they are the love of your life and you can’t wait to marry them. You don’t say those things to earn brownie points. You say them because it’s the honest truth and you want everyone to know it.

When you’re in love, you don’t make important decisions without your person by your side. You don’t put a downpayment on a house or come home with a new dog without speaking with them first. You don’t go with your gut instead of having a conversation with them about what they think you should do, because you don’t feel like making a phone call.

When you’re in love, you consider what your person would think before making a decision that will impact them as much as it impacts you. It doesn’t matter if you have to put your future on hold. If you have to wait, you will wait. You will speak to them before making any big moves. You will act as a team, because you’re no longer on your own. You are partners.

When you’re in love, you don’t leave the house and think about how nice it is to get away from your person. You don’t enjoy the moments when you’re alone and dread the moments when you have to return to them. You don’t secretly wish for an escape.

When you’re in love, you act like it. Permanently. Not temporarily. Not only when they are nearby. Not only when there is a chance they are going to find out. Not only when you are going to gain something from being nice to them.

When you’re in love, you treat your person with the upmost respect, whether or not they are in the same room.