When you’re a mom, you don’t really have the luxury of simply saying, "I’m tired—figure it out without me." There’s a little person for whom you are the whole world. So, you get up, smile, and keep going.

But lately, I’ve been wondering more and more: does being strong really mean doing absolutely everything by yourself?

I want a man beside me—someone with whom I don’t constantly have to prove I can handle things. I already know I can. What I want is something else: to sometimes rest my head on his shoulder and hear him simply say, "I’m here. Let’s figure this out together."

Not someone who will make decisions for me, but someone with whom we can be a team.

I want to care for my man. To welcome him home after a hard day, cook something delicious, hug him for no reason, listen to his stories, laugh together, and create that special sense of comfort that makes you want to come home.

Does true intimacy begin the moment two people stop being afraid to show each other their vulnerability?