I passed the True Love Test! Or maybe I should say Larry passed the test. I answered “yes” to all four of the following questions:

• Can you tell them everything in your heart?
• Are they kind?
• Do they help you become the best version of yourself?
• Can you imagine them as the father (or mother) of your children?

I said “yes” to all these attributes of true love; however, after a long reflective pause, I remembered that Larry and I have had 61 years to work on becoming loving partners. The “Test of True Love” comes from a movie, The Life List, and was directed toward young adults who were considering if someone was truly the right partner.

This brief “test” is an excellent reminder that love is not just about romantic feelings but also about building a strong foundation of trust, communication, and shared values.

Although 61 years ago Larry and I participated in premarital counseling, I must be honest and report that we were mainly focused on romantic feelings and images—not on answering those important questions.  Today, we often talk about how “lucky” we were (and still are) because we didn’t even discuss our common values and dreams and yet we have lived “mostly” happily ever after.  (Upon further reflection, I believe that we brought into our marriage values generated in our families and our faith.)

I remember a young man in his twenties once asked me, “How do I know when I am in love with the right person?”  At that time, I did not have a wise answer, but if asked today, a valuable starting point would be the “True Love Test” questions.

I wonder what other questions you would add to this “Test of True Love”?

For more ideas on how to pass “The Test of True Love,” and improve all relationships, allow I Corinthians 13: 4-8 to inspire you.