“Their morals will raise your kids, their hands will protect your home, and their heart will nurture you when you’re hurting.” – Unknown

This one hit me in my ovaries. 

When looking for a partner, or contemplating the traits of the one you’re currently with, this assertion gives rise to thoughts of the kind of human with whom we may entrust 3 of the most important things in our lives; our babies, our homes, and our hearts. The health of these play such a large role in our overall happiness and satisfaction in life, and can provide an extremely nurturing and safe foundation from which a relationship may organically grow and thrive. 

I love that this piece isn’t inherently religious, although the language does admittedly bring my mind to biblical projections of love which potentially expands its reach. It may also be important to note that while the words blatantly focus on the value the partner will bring to the other, there is an unspoken understanding that these benefits will naturally align with our own intrinsic needs, motivations, and dreams, all of which we hope would make for an even pairing and partnership. 

Something else that amplifies the power of this piece is the order in which these thoughts are presented. As parents, we put our children and their safety above all, and for better or worse, our hearts often come as an afterthought. This may not be a negative thing, always – I personally cannot give myself fully, or even rest, without knowing certain things are understood and underlined – which further supports the natural and intentional order I find here. 

There is also a beautiful essence of absence I see woven throughout these lines. A feeling of, even if we aren’t physically there, we will still be respectfully represented by the partner who sees us in our entirety and whom we trust to stand in our place, always. 

I’d like to also allow the meaning of the home to go much deeper than just a physical place to rest your head or fortress which needs protecting. Home can too be a feeling. It can represent the foundation of a relationship – something like an intangible, untethered, and free-floating force that surrounds and protects you and your family. This force or feeling is something you notice even when you aren’t physically inside of your home. 

Finally, I’d like to speak to what is arguably one of the most lovely aspects of this piece; that the word love is never actually mentioned, yet is so deeply implied. The value of love rests so wholly in the subjectivity of the giver and receiver. These considerations may not exude the feeling of love for all, but for some, there could be no love without them.