Dear Mr. Right, From Magnolia

My parents joke that it’s going to be impossible for me to find you because I have such a long list of qualities and expectations for you to fulfill. It starts like this: you should be taller than me, have at least a college education and some kind of ambition, not be politically or religiously dogmatic, have a healthy sense of humor, been in relationships before, and so on. What my parents don’t know though these are all guidelines not rules. The qualities matter for compatibility and attraction reasons, but that’s not all there is to love.

You’re Mr. Right for a reason. With you, things feel right. Maybe not always, but when they don’t you know you need me and I need you and we’ll figure out a way to make it right again. You treat me with respect, trust, and consistent care, and expect no less from me. You can communicate with me at more levels than just words.

I actually think the reason it’ll be really hard to find you is because this connection is so hard to make, not because there is a dearth of individuals who fit my superficial character descriptions of the perfect guy.