Every woman deserves a man who....

Periodically, in my Facebook feed, I will see a post that say something like this:

"Every woman deserves a man who calls her baby, kisses her like he means it, holds her like he never wants to let her go, doesn't lie or cheat...."

It tends to go on for several lines cataloguing a list of fairly predictable, romantic-movie-eligible characteristics of a man who treats his beloved "right."

In sentiment, I completely agree with the notion that every woman deserves to be cherished by her spouse or partner; every man does too.

But I cringe a little bit every time I see posts like this.  They actually make me go a little dark.  I'm not entirely sure why.  Maybe it's because the lists seem contrived.  Maybe it seems sort of like a demand.  Maybe it seems like an Oprahfication of romance.  But, probably, it's because it really doesn't line up with my experience of life and love in these our modern times.

I mean, I feel totally and completely cherished by my husband, and I'm not sure that Mr. TheWorkingMom has ever called me "baby."

And my personal experience has been -- in my close to 20-year dating/single life prior to meeting, befriending, dating, and then marrying Mr. TheWorkingMom -- that every guy I have ever dated who fit the romantic bits of that list never turned out to fit the "doesn't cheat or lie" bit. Pet names and lying cheaters just seemed to go hand in hand in my history.  And I might be so bold as to suggest that guys who call you "baby" and "sweetums" might tend to be doing so to hide something.  But maybe I'm just being cynical.

Nevertheless, today, I hereby commit to cyberspace my list of what I  think every woman and man deserves in a partner for life:

1. Everyone deserves a person in his or her life who will always tell them the unvarnished truth, even if the truth is not pleasant or complimentary.
2. Everyone deserves a person who respects their intelligence and seeks out their opinion.
3. Everyone deserves a person who laughs at their silliest jokes.
4. Everyone deserves to sit on the sofa every night with their best friend.
5. Everyone deserves to have a partner who does things for you without asking, and who thanks you when you do the same for him/her.
6. Everyone deserves to live with a person who has got your back.
7. Everyone deserve a person whose favorite person is "you."
8. Everyone deserve a partner-in-crime.
9. Everyone deserve a sympathetic ear.
10. Everyone deserve to be loved, no matter how it is expressed.

There.

Well, even my list seems trite and Oprahfied.  So I guess I will stop cringing when I see that list, seeing that my list isn't so much more profound.

Still, here's my point:  it's not about what's classically considered to be romantic.  It's about friendship, respect, and fun . . . at least, for me it is.

And I guess I'll say this to close:  I'm glad that I sit on the sofa every night next to Mr. TheWorkingMom.  I hope everyone else finds the perfect sofa companion too.