Seeking the Perfect Partner: A Journey Beyond Expectations

Like everyone else, we’re on the hunt for that special someone to share our lives with. We want someone who listens, gets us, supports us emotionally and physically, and fits with us like a puzzle piece. And let’s not even start on the sexual chemistry. It’s gotta be just right, a harmonious blend for both parties, where both want to bring joy to the other. But is that enough?…

Is That Really Enough?

The old porch swing creaked, a rhythm to their silence. “It’s not enough,” she said, finally, eyes fixed on the fireflies dancing in the twilight. “Just fixing the leaky faucet, you know? It’s the whole house that’s rotting.” He shifted, the wood groaning beneath him. “What do you mean?”

“We ignore the termites,” she continued, voice soft but firm. “The fears, the old hurts, the things we pretend aren’t there. We see the cracks, but we just paint over them.”

He looked at her, a flicker of something like fear in his eyes. “And what if we look? What if we find… things we don’t like?”

“Then we deal with them,” she said. “We don’t just know we have them and do nothing. That’s worse than being blind. Someone tells you the truth, points to the rot, and you have to act. Not just nod and go back to the same old patterns.”

She paused, a gentle breeze rustling the leaves. “It’s not just fixing the surface. It’s building a new foundation. A shared one. We need to want the same things, to know what matters. We need to learn how to argue without breaking each other. And we need… connection. Real connection.”

A smile touched her lips, a hint of mischief in her eyes. “Maybe,” she said, reaching for his hand, “we can even build that connection in new, exciting ways. We could explore new worlds, together, in the pages of the Best Steamy Fantasy Stories for Couples, find shared fantasies, and build a world of our own.”

He squeezed her hand, a flicker of hope in his eyes. “So, we tear down the old walls?”

“We rebuild,” she whispered, “stronger.”

What If They Check All the Boxes?

What would you do if the person next to you ticks all the boxes you care about? They’ve got a great sense of humor, they support you morally and physically, they want to get to know you better, meet your family, and the sexual chemistry is spot-on, even better than you hoped? Would you keep going with that relationship? Does that person have what it takes to build a future together?

Most of you might see yourselves in this and say yes, that these are the essentials for a couple to have a future. But what if we throw in the wildcard of prejudice? Do those qualities still hold up?

Let’s add the first unknown to the equation: the age gap. Can you easily get past that? Would you be willing to move forward with someone, knowing the age difference is pretty big, say 10-15 years? It doesn’t even matter who’s older, just that there’s a gap.

They say a much younger guy with an older woman can work wonders in the bedroom, and maybe that’s true in most cases. But would you try to build a relationship with someone where the age difference is that huge? Do the things listed above—humor, listening, understanding, support, and sexual chemistry—still matter? In your opinion, can an age gap cancel out these values you’re looking for?

What If Age Isn’t the Dealbreaker?

And what if age isn’t enough to make you end things? You’re okay with it. One of you is much younger, and nothing else matters. You just want to live in harmony. Then let’s throw education into the mix. Does it matter to you if they have the same fancy degrees as you?

Let’s forget about folks with serious communication issues. We’re talking about someone who didn’t love school but was dead set on getting an honest job. They’ve got solid principles, can easily make a reasoned argument. This person is in your life. After searching and dealing with negative experiences, you’ve found them, and they match up in so many ways.

Can you easily overlook the fact that they don’t have the same higher education credentials? Would you feel embarrassed? Do you think you’d be lowering yourself by going out in public with them? From what I know, from the experience I’ve gathered, no one stops a couple on the street, whether they know them or not, to ask about their education and if they should be together. Have you ever had that happen? I sure haven’t.

Back to Basics: Do They Still Matter?

Let’s go back to the list—humor, listening, understanding, support, and sexual chemistry—are they enough for two people to live together? It’s easy to take sides from the outside, to choose a camp and make a judgment that fits our comfort zone. But would you really push past these barriers to build a relationship that meets other criteria?

The Never-Ending Discontent

Though there’s more to say on this topic, I believe age and education prejudices are up to you, tied to your self-esteem, to how you see yourself. The perfect person to form a couple with doesn’t exist! Not in looks, character, age, or education. The longer your list of preferences, the rarer that person becomes, maybe even impossible to find. The shorter and more focused your list, the better your chances of finding someone to live harmoniously with.

That means knowing exactly what matters to you from that list, what’s most important in the person next to you. The person you want to build a relationship with, you choose them for you! Not for your family, not for your relatives, not for friends or coworkers. Prejudices have no place between two people wanting to build a relationship.

What’s often forgotten is that time waits for no one, and regrets come too late. Folks, if the person next to you isn’t perfect but covers a lot of what you want from a partner, let go of the prejudices and stop nitpicking! You might lose them, and you’ll realize it too late, when there’s nothing you can do about it. Love a lot, while you still can!