Significant Others

Everyone has certain qualities that they look for when choosing a significant other. Below are some of the ones that are important to me, and why.

Sense of humor

It is really important to me that life not be too serious. Life should be enjoyed. It should include lots of smiles and laughter. The Boy and I went out the other night with a bunch of employees that work for a company that is a customer of the company we both work for. I was laughing so hard at one point during the night that my eyes got all watery. My significant other is a very funny guy. When you get him going he will have everyone in stitches. One of the employees from the visiting company was also particularly funny. Between the two of them we were all laughing for hours. A good laugh with friends just makes everything better. I like to smile and laugh, so having someone around that can bring that out of me frequently is a very good thing.

Honesty/Trust

I really dislike dishonest people. I want to know that I can fully trust the person I am with. I need to be able to trust that my partner will not keep important things a secret from me, that they are genuine in their actions, that they won't cheat on me, etc.

Ability to communicate

I believe one of the keys to a great relationship is communication. You need to be able to communicate your needs and desires to each other. Otherwise, how can you expect those things to be met? Unfortunately human beings have not yet evolved to the point where they are capable of reading minds. Until then, we need to communicate with each other.

Patience & Understanding

I can be difficult to deal with sometimes (as hard as that may be to believe!). I, like everyone else, have my little quirks and bad habits and personal issues. Relationships tend to go much more smoothly when you have patients with each other regarding these things. Understanding where the other person is coming from goes a long way when trying to work something out. Life isn't fair, and life isn't perfect. Things will not always go the way you want them to. Patience is key in getting through these times.

Intelligence

This is not a terribly crucial quality for me, but it is nice to be able to have an intelligent conversation with my significant other. I myself have a thirst for knowledge and it's a great bonus to be with someone that shares that with me and that I can learn from.

Ambition

This is another one that would not be at the very top of the list, but still important nonetheless. I want someone who is driven. Someone who sets goals for themselves, is driven in their career, and always striving to do better. Of course, taken to the extreme, this quality can be very, very bad. I do believe there is such a thing as overly-ambitious.

Kindness

I don't like mean people. I think this stems from the fact that I have been on the receiving end too many times, and know first-hand how it feels. I don't ever want to make another person feel that way. It is important to me that my significant other is a kind and warm and caring person. When I look into my boyfriends eyes, this is the first thing that I see. Those big brown eyes show everything. He has so much compassion and sympathy for others, it's amazing.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

So which of these qualities do I actually possess myself? I guess I'd have to go with honesty, patience, and kindness. I can't tell a lie to save my life, I have almost infinite patience when it comes to most things (although as I get older I notice this to be less and less true), and I have been told I am "too nice" countless time. I have a very difficult time saying no to someone or saying anything negative about someone for fear of hurting their feelings.

Which qualities do you look for in a significant other? Is one more important than the rest? Which of the important qualities do you feel you possess?