Do We Make a Love Match? 6 Questions

Think your love has what it takes to last in the long run? This is a question that people have asked themselves since the idea of romantic love in the world was born thousands of years ago. Any relationship today can have its ups and downs, and sometimes it is easy to lose sight of whether it is going to last.

When things are going rough in your relationship, you make ask yourself, "Do we make a love match?" Answer these questions and find out:

1. Do you respect each other as people?

The world is full of billions of people, each with a slightly different take on how things work and how things should be. Even among family members, people can hold vastly different values, beliefs, goals, and dreams for the future. It is a wonder that any two people ever find each other to form a successful romantic union in the first place! With all of these different views and beliefs out there, it is important for world peace that people respect each other. In the context of a successful relationship, having this respect is vital.

2. Picture yourself on a tropical beach on vacation drinking your favorite beverage: is he or she sitting next to you?

Imagine that you were handed two tickets to a 2-week vacation on a tropical beach somewhere far away from your cares and worries. Who is the single person you would choose to accompany you (remember, you must select someone you know: no fair choosing the object of your occasional romantic fantasy starring your favorite celebrity!). If you choose your main romantic interest, give yourself a point in the "love match" column.

3. Do you hold similar views on life's Big Questions?

Have you ever discussed the meaning of life with your romantic partner? What do you both feel about why we are all on the Earth, how you should live your life, what happens when you die, and all of those other Big Questions? While it is not important that you agree on every such question, the more similar your positions about these issues the better it will be for the long-term health of your relationship.

4. Does he or she turn you on?

While true love requires mutual respect, it is not based upon respect alone. Respect is a wonderful thing, but physical attraction is another one of the cornerstones of a love match. On the other hand, if you have strong feelings for this person but do not feel attracted, you are likely not a love match.

5. Do you feel you can be truly happy with him or her without having to change them at all?

If you feel like you could be with this person for a long, long time only if they would . . . (fill in the blank) - you may need to reconsider the strength of your relationship. After all, true love requires a basic acceptance of who the other person is. Having the intention to want to change the person as a precondition for being happy with them, it probably means the relationship is doomed.

6. Are you able to appreciate each other's friends?

Okay, a final test: do you like each other's friends, or do you just have to put up with them? If you are both truly willing to try to appreciate each other's friends, that is a good sign for your potentially having a lasting relationship. It means you respect each other and really like each other.

If you answered "yes" to at least 5 of these questions, you are likely a love match. Now, it is up to you to do whatever you can to make your relationship the best it can be.