Dear Future Love,

It's been said time and time again that relationships should always be 50/50. An equal amount of give and take. The older I get, the more mistakes I make, the more I learn that the only time that's possible is when things are perfect. Let's face it, though - we aren't perfect. Our lives aren't perfect, and our relationship certainly isn't perfect. I'm learning that what matters most is that at the end of the day we've always given 100 percent, together.

There are going to be days, maybe even weeks, where you just can't give me your 50 percent. Maybe it's because of work, or a family matter. It could be the weather or a sickness. There are a million different things that it could be. It could also be nothing, you could just be stuck in a rut of some sort. So there will be times where I will need to make up the difference. Times that I need to remind you that I'm still here and I'm not going anywhere.

There will also be times where it will be your turn to make up the difference. Days where I can only give you 15 percent instead of the full 50 you deserve. There will be times when you'll have to love me just a little bit louder and remind me that you're still in it, no matter what. Remind me that you're going to see me through whatever difficulty that's arisen.

I'm not keeping track of who gave what and when. I don't have a record of how many days or weeks that I've given more than I've received. I'll never throw it in your face when I've had to love you louder. I'll never intentionally make you feel worse when you're already struggling. I hope that you won't either.

What matters most to me is that you always know just how much I love you. My hope is that I've loved you loud enough so even on our bad days (your's or mine), you will never doubt my love. That you know I love you just as much then as I do on the good days. What matters to me is that we both keep loving and giving no matter what comes our way.

I promise to always give you as much as I can each day. I can't promise that each day it'll be as much as you deserve, though. Likewise, there will be days you aren't able to give me much either. So, I promise to love you louder when you need me to. I promise to love you through the good and love you through the bad.

We are imperfect beings living an imperfect life. Our relationship won't always be an equal amount of give and take. It won't always be 50/50. All of that is ok. At the end of the day what matters most is that we've figured out how to keep it at 100.

So, my love, I hope you know I'm in this. I hope you are too.