Marriage...

"Marriage: A partnership of two individuals committed to enhancing each other's strengths, and balancing each other's weaknesses. A stronger, more highly functioning unit than only one, which thrives on mutual support and protection, and encourages/celebrates autonomous growth. Healthy marriage must continually work to solidify and enhance the marital bond, so partners may continue to grow alongside each other, and their union reflects these developmental changes. Intimacy that stops growing, has begun dying."
- from http://gettinbetter.com/glossary.html

Not needing each other...

A great relationship isn't about needing each other - it's about wanting each other and choosing each other.  It's about having gone out into the world by ourselves, experimented & tried out different ways of living, dated different people, and then choosing to come back to each other, not because it's the status quo or because it's easy, but because we really want each other and because we know that we're good for each other.  Recognizing that we could be happy by ourselves or with someone else, but consciously choosing our relationship because we're much happier, both in the present and in the future, being with each other.

I want the people I love to be happy.

"To me, an open relationship is a relationship in which you support the other person to completely and totally live the life they wish for themself. To discover who they are, to connect with people without limitations, fears or feelings of guilt. To enjoy life to the fullest and to be the happiest person they can be. I want the people I love to be happy. I want myself to be happy. I want this world to be a happy place."
- from http://www.wilriekeuiterweerd.com/my-open-relationship/#.UK7Y-4fLcxH

I love this quote - although I would take out the word 'open' because for me, every relationship, every friendship, is like this - open or not.

Soul Mate

"People think a soul mate is your perfect fit, and that’s what everyone wants. But a true soul mate is a mirror, the person who shows you everything that is holding you back, the person who brings you to your own attention so you can change your life.

A true soul mate is probably the most important person you’ll ever meet, because they tear down your walls and smack you awake. But to live with a soul mate forever? Nah. Too painful. Soul mates, they come into your life just to reveal another layer of yourself to you, and then leave.

A soul mate’s purpose is to shake you up, tear apart your ego a little bit, show you your obstacles and addictions, break your heart open so new light can get in, make you so desperate and out of control that you have to transform your life…" - Elizabeth Gilbert from Eat, Pray, Love

Not sure if I agree about the not being able to live forever with your soulmate, but I like the idea of being with someone who challenges me to be my full self.  Who won't just sit around with me and let our lives decay - but someone who together will push us forward.

Best Friend

"A real woman is a man's best friend.  

She won't stand him up and won't let him down.

She will reassure him when he feels insecure and comfort him after a bad day.

She will inspire him to do things he never thought he could do; to live without fear and forget regret.

She will enable him to express his deepest emotions, and give in to his most intimate desires.

She will make sure he always feels as though he's the most handsome man in the room and will enable him to be the most confident, sexy, seductive and invincible..."

-Michael McCarty