Throughout my life, boys, and now men, have come and gone.

Whether I pushed them away, or they simply have given up, I am still grateful for the experiences we created together. Whether I knew them for decades, years, months, weeks, days, or one night, they left an impression. I salute you, men. You who have shown me humility and love. I want to thank you for your extended friendship and life lessons.

Most importantly, I thank those I still call my friend. I’m about as messy and imperfect as they come. So thank you for putting up with me as I did the same.

Here’s what I’ve learned along the way.

I love it when they:
Leave an impression.
Do what they say they will do.
Leave their scent behind.
Talk about philosophy.
Open the door (even when we’re not their girl).
Stare into our soul.
Are the first and last person we talk to in a day.
Lean forward to hear what we’re saying.
Call to make sure we got home safe.
Are in awe of something.
Suggest books to read.
Don’t care about money.
Are great communicators.
Add new songs to our playlist.
Are comfortable being their weirdest selves.
Teach us something new.
Have patience.
Are not intimidated by us.
Show up unannounced.
Sing to us.
Can introduce themselves to our friends.
Show kindness toward animals.
Get nervous and say bizarre things.
Are comfortable talking about poop.
Share their poetry.
Are confident in being themselves.
Respect other women.
Tell us we look beautiful when we don’t feel like we do.
Say, “All these guys like you, but you’re too naive to realize it.”
Say, “I figured out your problem; you’re too honest.”
Notice something different.
Share their hopes and dreams.
Rearrange their bodies to fit with ours.
Keep us warm.
Place a blanket over us.
Are spiritual.
Speak their mind.
Plan a day of adventures.
Sing us an original song.
Give great massages.
Keep their cool.
Miss us.
Get along with our friends.
Know when to say sorry.
Pay attention to what we’re not saying.
Wait until we enter the house to leave.
Do yoga with us.
Compliment our style.
Try something new for us.
Know when we’re being sarcastic.
Express their artistic side.
Are involved in social issues.
Compliment us in another language.
Have manners.
See us in their future.
Laugh.
Can keep eye contact.
Get choked up when we walk away.
Are passionate about something.
Don’t have social media.
Compliment our smile.
Ask, “Are you okay?”
Come to see us even if they don’t own a vehicle.
Are straight-forward.
Do something from our bucket list.
Show affection to their mothers.
Ask how our mother is doing.
Babysit their younger siblings.
Get up from their seats and offer it to the elderly.
Start a conversation with a homeless person.
Hear the song we’re singing and sing along.

~
~
~

Author: Elizabeth Mejia
Image: Sirius Azadi/Unsplash
Editor: Danielle Beutell
Supervising Editor 1: Nicole Cameron