i've been reflecting a little bit on partnerships and what love is / what you want / need from a partner. i think about my own relationship - what else could a person possibly want/need? i have safety, patience, understanding, warmth, connection, and acceptance. that to me is love. love isn't the sex; that's an expression of intimacy, but a small one. intimacy is in friendship. in all the moments sharing your life with that other person.
i compare love to how i treat my water bottle. it leaks, but it still works. it's been like that since i got it. instead of getting a new one, getting rid of it, or fixing it, i've accepted it. and i've adjusted my life to accommodate its flaws. i just make sure i leave it upright and not with papers it can ruin. despite taking these measures, does the water bottle still occasionally ruin papers or books? absolutely. because it's in the water bottle's nature to leak; but it's not it's fault.
love isn't about fixing someone. love is about accepting, adjusting, and accommodating to another's needs. it's about learning what someone needs to 'function' and providing an environment in which that person can still flourish, despite their leaky flaws.