I saw this old couple, maybe in their 70’s, all hugged up and kissing each other. My husband thought how wonderful that was to see as well. We figured they have been in love forever and still couldn’t resist each other. They actually stroked up a convo with us, and we asked how long they have been together? They said a month and met online a month before that eh oh well.

I couldn't imagine a love better than the one DH and I have. He's perfect and it's perfect. Been together almost 14 years now and we're in the weeds with toddlers.

I've been with my now-DH since we were 19 (we are now 35). Our relationship hasn't been and isn't "perfect", nor do I believe such a thing is possible. I also don't believe in unconditional love. However, we have grown up together and shaped who each other turned into as adults, and I would never be able to achieve that level of closeness and understanding with someone I met as a fully formed adult.

I remember watching video of a crash -- I think a plane? -- into icy water, and the survivors were having to be helicoptered out in harnesses. I watched this one man over and over put person after person into the harness while he was treading water. He went under before they could get him out. He was just another passenger, and they were strangers to him, but he kept them safe.

My god.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: perfect love in real life

I do not believe in this.

That's why Kierkegaard did away with the here-and-now physical love for the eternal platonic love.

Anonymous wrote: perfect love in real life

I do not believe in this.

The most beautiful love I have ever witnessed has been that of a parent for their child.

Dan & Polly*, a middle aged couple that took in a few friends and me after a hurricane when we had no place to stay. Their children were grown so they had a few extra bedrooms and let complete strangers stay at their house for a couple weeks.

It was the second marriage for both of them. They met when P had a flat tire and D pulled over to help. D described P as the love of his life and their love and respect for each other was palpable.

That being said, now that I’m married and nearing middle age, I understand that marriages are complex and that this couple had decades of life together. We caught them at a single point in time in their stories, as they did to us.


* names changed for privacy!

Interfaith Jewish man and catholic woman

When I’m really hungry and the pizza finally shows up.

I mostly hear that to describe older couples, like the Bushes, and usually the person saying it is just oblivious to the adultery or inequality in the marriage, romanticizing something they aspire to but which doesn't exist.

Anonymous wrote:Barf

Yep

Barf

Kierkegaard and Regina Olson. Platonic love.

I love it when I read the stories of great love matches like that of astronaut John Glenn and his wife Annie, who were childhood sweethearts. I think it is rare to see or experience that kind of enduring, forever, perfect love in real life. Share stories of yourself or others, family or friends, if you have been so lucky.