I Cannot Count the Ways

by Jess
(United States)

There's a poem that goes, "How do I love thee, let me count the ways..." Whoever wrote that didn't love his girl like I love you, because I can't begin to count the ways I love you.

But I can mention a few of them.

The way you laugh at my stupid jokes makes me feel like a million bucks, like I'm the funniest person in the world and Jim Carrey doesn't have anything on me.

The way you use that incredible brain of yours to make everything you talk about interesting, no matter what the topic. You're the smartest person I know.

The way you bear the burdens of everyone around you, no matter how heavy your own are. I know it's not true, but when I look at you I think it must be impossible to give you more than you can handle, because you act like you could handle anything without batting an eyelash.

The way you look when you first wake up in the morning - hair a mess, eyes bleary, pillow creases on your cheeks. In that moment, you take my breath away. You're beautiful, and I hope I get to wake up next to you every day for the rest of my life.

The way you tell me it's going to be okay. Even if I know it's not, you make me believe, if only for a second, that it will be okay just because I'm with you. You make the world not seem like such an impossible place to live in. The hardest tasks seem bearable because I know I get to hear your voice when I come home at night.

The way you make me want to be a better person. It's cliche, I know, but being with you makes me want to -deserve- to be with you. I want to be smart enough to keep you interested, and funny enough to make you smile even when things are rough, and strong enough for you to lean on if you ever need to. I want to make you feel as happy as you make me. I never want you to realize how lucky I am to have gotten you, and how much better you could do.

I love you. The ways I love you are infinite, but I'd go on counting them forever if you asked me to.