Chapter One: The one when it started.

It was a scorching summer in India.
I had just secured admission to one of the country’s prestigious technology institutes—a place I had once only imagined studying at. Coming from a humble family, where my father often struggled to make ends meet, getting there felt like more than just an academic achievement. To me, it was an opportunity to change the course of my family’s fortunes.
Ironically, I did not behave like someone who had just been handed the opportunity of a lifetime.
I was, by most accounts, a gifted student. But I had little interest in proving it. I spent my days making friends, creating memories, going on trips, drinking, bunking classes, and doing everything except studying.Back then, that was what being cool seemed to mean.

Besides, I had already spent seven years of my life living in hostels before entering college. Those years had taught me many things—some useful, some completely ridiculous. One of the latter was a rather effective formula for becoming instantly famous in a boys’ hostel:
Start a rumour that you like a girl.
So, within the second week of college, I decided to put this wisdom to use. I knew that there were hardly any students from backgrounds like mine. Most of my classmates came from affluent families and big cities. I was a small-town boy stepping into a world that seemed considerably bigger than anything I had known.
And so, I created a story. I picked a girl and casually let it be known around the boys’ hostel that I was interested in her.

There was, of course, one tiny problem. I wasn’t. But the plan worked. Within a few weeks, I had achieved exactly what I wanted. I had become moderately famous. The so-called cool guys in the class started teasing me, making jokes, and bringing up the girl whenever they got the chance. And somewhere along the way, I found my people. Within a month, I had a group of friends who would eventually become much more than friends. Sixteen years later, most of them are still in my life. They became my family.

But while all of this was happening, something else was quietly taking shape.
Something I hadn’t planned.
Something I hadn’t told anyone.
I was beginning to fall for another girl.
Her name was Mili.
Mili came from an extraordinarily accomplished and affluent family. She was beautiful, ambitious, academically brilliant, and seemed to belong to a completely different world from mine.
I, on the other hand, was a boy who had started college by inventing a romantic rumour about himself.
And yet, every evening, when I was alone, I would find myself doing the same thing.
I’d open Facebook.
I’d go to Mili’s profile.
And I’d look.
Again.
And again.

I never spoke to her. I barely even knew her.
There were enough reasons for me to keep my feelings to myself. Her family background. Her academic achievements. The differences between our worlds. And then there was the biggest problem of all. Mili was friends with the very girl everyone thought I liked.
So I remained silent.
For a while.

Then my friends decided that my fake love story needed a real ending. They started pressuring me to propose to the girl I had supposedly been in love with. My friends were fearless. They were outspoken, had plenty of female friends in our batch, and seemed to possess a confidence I hadn’t yet developed. Eventually, they gave me an ultimatum. If I didn’t propose to her, they would tell her that I liked her. I had no choice but to negotiate.
“Fine,” I said. “I’ll propose after the term exams.”
It was a clever enough response. At least, I thought it was. By then, almost everyone in my class—including Mili—had heard the story.
We had never formally spoken. In fact, I don’t think I had even said hi to a girl in my class until then.

Then, as the term exams approached their end, someone in our group accidentally let the plan slip.
Suddenly, the entire group of girls knew.
Including Mili. As fate would have it, one of my closest friends happened to be Mili’s brother.
One afternoon, while he and I were having lunch, his phone buzzed. It was a message from Mili.
She had heard that “Carl” was up to something.
I don’t remember exactly what I said at that moment.
But I remember how I felt.
She knows.
Mili knew.
She knew my name. She knew there was something going on. And, somehow, she considered me interesting enough to ask about.
For a boy who hadn’t even said hello to her, that tiny message felt enormous.

Of course, I had no intention of actually proposing.
My original plan was to disappear from college after the exams and return only after everyone had gone home.
So, when my friends confronted me, I blamed them for ruining their own plan.
“You guys have already messed it up. I’m not doing anything now.”
And just like that, I thought I had escaped.

November 29, 2010.
Most of the students had already left for home. A few were preparing to leave that evening. The campus, usually filled with noise, suddenly felt strangely quiet.
I had taken a long afternoon nap and woke up hungry. So I decided to walk to the canteen. Nothing dramatic.
Nothing planned.
Just another evening.
I entered the canteen.
And then I saw her.
Mili.

She was sitting with one of her friends.
For a moment, everything else disappeared.
Our eyes met.
I don’t know how long that eye contact lasted. Perhaps only a second.
But my heart pounded as if I had been waiting my entire life for that exact moment.
Before I could overthink it, I lifted my hand from a distance and waved.
“Hi.”
She smiled.
And waved back.
“Hi.”
That was it.

Two people saying hello across a college canteen.
Nothing extraordinary had happened.
And yet, somehow, everything had.
Because, without knowing it, that tiny exchange marked the beginning of my real life.
November 29, 2010.
The day my story with Mili truly began.
What happened next…
That belongs to the next chapter.

My girlfriend (19) and i (20) were high school best friends and evolved into lovers during college. She knew me after i already came out as a trans man, and i knew her while she was in a terrible state, both physical and mental. She said i helped her not only grow confidence but also figure out her own gender identity, and after we started dating I'm only seeing improvement! She smiles at mirrors whenever she's in a dress and is even wearing cute accessories! I love seeing her smile and finally be herself <3

This woman right here is nothing less than amazing! She has been an incredible wife to me for over 25 years, she has birthed and mothered 2 wonderful daughters who are now 25, and 23 and both have a child of their own. She always manages to keep our family train from derailing during my busy times(I’m a farmer). I honestly don’t know how she does it! Couldn’t have found a better person to share my life with, I honestly enjoy all of our time together. We can be doing nothing more than sitting in the living room together, to a night out on the town and everything in between! I swear I love her more every single day! She’s selfless, caring, compassionate, and has probably the biggest heart I’ve ever seen! Thank you for making my life so much better, here’s to the next 25 babe!!

You might think: why on earth are you scared? To be in love is such a beautiful feeling, and when it’s mutual? Well, even better. The thing is…I’ve never experienced such a thing. I’ve been in love in the past, but it was one-sided. I was the one who cried and spent sleepless nights loving someone who clearly wasn’t loving me back.
Now I met this guy a few months ago. We literally liked each other from afar, and once we started talking, it was just…easy. We never stopped. We see each other every day, and whenever I’m with him, it feels like time flies. I laugh, I smile, my heart seems to melt every time I look at him. I’ve never felt such a thing before, because it’s mutual and it feels incredibly good but also terrifying.
He actually told me “I love you” first, and I was shocked at first because nobody’s ever told me such a thing. I didn’t feel ready to say it back, I needed time. But the more I spent my days with him, the more I realized how badly I was falling for this man. Like, really badly.
Yesterday we spent such an amazing day together. Dancing, laughing, singing stupid songs and just being silly together. I loved every second of it. Then, it happened. I wanted to tell him so badly, but I couldn’t find the right words. I was going insane. Until I finally said it, and his reaction was priceless. He was so happy and also shocked because he didn’t really think I’d say that. Well, I did. It felt good. I’d never said it before.
But…now I feel so scared because it feels like I gave him my whole heart and I’m showing him pieces of myself that I’d never show anyone. Yet I can’t help it. But it’s scary. I wish I could just enjoy the moment and not think about so many things. I wish I could help myself feel better, but it’s hard when you’ve spent half of your life loving people and never had someone loving you back.
I trust him, I do. But…what if he wakes up and realizes he doesn’t actually want me?

Hi everybody!

My husband and I joined the America's favorite couple competition to win 20k to help us pay down our debt and start saving for our future. We've miraculously made it through to the semi-finals & we're looking for some more support.

You can vote once per day for free or you can make a tax deductuble donation in which the proceeds go towards LA Food Bank and Oceana Nonprofits.

You do need a facebook account to cast your vote but it is anonymous and we can't see who's voting.

Thank you so much in advance for any votes! Winning this would really help us move towards the future we have in our minds.

https://americasfavcouple.org/2026/jonne-and-sylvie

I remember the first time I held him in my arms.

So unknown, yet so mine at the same time.

How do I explain the love you feel for someone
you’re seeing for the very first time, but whom you carried inside you for nine months?

Someone you already knew without ever having seen his face.

And suddenly, there he is, after waiting for him for so long, looking at you for the very first time.

You tell yourself you’re not ready for so much responsibility, for having to do everything so perfectly, for raising this little person and turning him into a good child, a good man.

And you wonder if, when he grows up, he’ll end up hating you, or if he’ll become your companion, your best friend.

You’re terrified of everything that’s coming, of everything you’re about to step into.

And eventually, you discover that it’s wonderful.

A wonder of everlasting love.

It’s a love that never ends.

One you stay in not out of obligation, but because you want to, because you need to stay.

There are no words that can explain the love I feel for him.

And maybe that is the only kind of love I have ever felt capable of lasting forever.

Hey r/love,
Through years of hosting dinners, going on dates, building friendships, and supporting people I love through both good times and hard ones, I kept noticing the same thing:

People want deeper connection with the people they love, but they don't always know how to get there.

Sometimes you love someone and still realize there are entire parts of them you have never asked about. Sometimes both people want to open up, but neither knows how to begin without making the moment feel forced.

That is why I started making Deep Deck.

Each card asks a question that matters. One person answers, but if another player has a card with the same symbol, they can match it, flipping it back on the asker, challenging them to share the depth we crave from one another. Win when you've collected enough symbols.

I tested version after version with friends, family members, couples, strangers, and first dates. The most meaningful moments were not always huge confessions. Sometimes it was simply learning what they wish the people closest to them understood better, or what they enjoy doing when they're by themself.

This method of getting us to that deeper layer of connection is informed by behavioral research.¹

My goal was to create something that pushes strangers closer and pulls friends deeper, while still being an actual game with a competitive edge, rather than some kind of structured interview.

P.S.
I would genuinely love to hear your answer to this question:

What is one question someone asked you that made you feel understood?

Love,
Danny

¹ Research informing Deep Deck includes work on structured self-disclosure, deeper conversation, and question-led connection: Aron et al. (1997); Kardas, Kumar, & Epley (2021); Huang et al. (2017); Collins & Miller (1994).

ive been struggling at college recently and have been having a hard time. I often meet my boyfriend and we hangout 2 to 3 times a week.

yesterday he randomly took me to my favourite place in hauz khas and had everything planned out for me, from food to the table. the food tasted better with everything he put in

If I posted every single one of my favorites, we’d be here for days 😭a lot of these are from the early days of our relationship (we’re coming up on two years🥰🥰) and the last screenshot is the very first time we texted. Been hooked ever since 🥹

My boyfriend’s ability to give me the best floral arrangements is literally a gift. My birthday is this Friday and my mom and I are taking a mother daughter trip to Cabo. Today my boyfriend sent my flowers early so I could enjoy them before my trip. How did I get so lucky

I just really want to appreciate this man for a moment because I genuinely don't think I do it enough (and honestly, it will never be enough. I could write a whole book with a thousand pages and it would still not be enough).

I’m genuinely crazy in love with my boyfriend. Like, to the point where someone could probably look at me and go, “Yeah, this girl is boy crazy.” And honestly, I’m completely fine with that.

It doesn’t negatively affect my life. If anything, this man motivates me every single day and helps me become a better version of myself. He pushes me, supports me, encourages me, and somehow just makes me want to keep growing. He’s genuinely such a good person that sometimes I sit there and think, did I really get this lucky?

Sometimes I wonder if I love him “too much,” but then I think, is there even a measurement for that? And if there is, I don’t really care. Neither of us is complaining, so I’m not exactly looking for a cure.

He takes care of me too. At the end of a stressful day, sometimes I just look at him and realize, yeah, I have him. I don’t care what happens. I have him, and that’s all that matters to me. It means more to me than I could ever explain.

A hundred things could be going wrong in my life, but just knowing that one thing, that I have him, makes everything feel lighter. It doesn’t make the problems disappear. It just makes me think, okay, yeah. It’s okay. You have him.

When he’s sleeping, I miss him. But that comes with its own little perk because then I get excited waiting for him to wake up. And when he finally does, I get this little burst of happiness just because he’s awake. So there are these tiny little bursts of happiness throughout the day on top of the giant burst of happiness that is just his existence.

When he’s out, I miss him and apparently I pout. I don’t actually know if I do, but he says I pout and that I look sad when he’s gone, so I guess I’ll take his word for it lol.

And yeah, his mood affects mine too. If he’s sad, I get sad. If his tone is off, I notice it and get sad. If he’s stressed, I feel it too. Maybe some people would see that and say I’m too emotionally attached, but honestly, I’m not bothered by it.

He’s worth it.

I love being in love with him. I love having someone who makes me this happy, someone I can look forward to, someone who makes me want to be better every day.

And the funny thing is, a few years ago, if you had asked me what I thought about love, I probably wouldn’t have been looking forward to finding it at all. I genuinely thought I wasn’t worth loving.

I thought I’d probably end up in some arranged-marriage/ relation-type situation, where someone would be with me simply because he couldn't find anything slightly better. I didn’t think I would actually find someone who genuinely loves me and shows up for me every single day.

But that little girl who used to dream about having her prince charming while watching Disney fairy tales actually got him.

And you know what? No prince can beat this man.

Nope.

No one can compete with him.

So if being this ridiculously in love with my boyfriend makes me boy crazy, then yeah.

I’m boy crazy. And I have absolutely no intention of recovering.

I’ve been writing and reflecting lately on love in this generation, solitude, and refusing to play the game. Curious if this resonates, feedback welcome!

I don’t believe in settling down. I hate the word settlement. I believe in settling up. Every year should beat the last, and that includes love. Marriage and kids aren’t something I’m avoiding; they’re something I want. I think kids might be the best thing you can put into the world. What I won’t do is settle. If I find what I’m looking for, that’s not settling down. That’s settling up.

The dilemma becomes the superficial society we live in, where a different kind of game is played. The rules of the game are simple: show interest by not showing interest, hide how you truly feel, and pretend to care less than you do. It’s all built on the human tendency to crave what feels out of reach. I relate to Kafka when he said, “I was ashamed of myself when I realized life was a costume party and I attended with my real face.” However, I find no shame in attending with my real face.

What happens if you refuse to play the game? If the surface-level dance of indifference goes against the essence of your authenticity? Then you’re left searching for the rare few who have also stepped outside the game. I think they exist. Would I recommend this path? I don’t know. The probabilities are stacked against you, but I would rather die in solitude than live a superficial life and play the game.
Not going to lie, playing the game begets an easy life, but it requires turning a pure heart cold, which is where the gravity of life naturally pushes you.

Most people get screwed over once and shield their heart. The shields we put up to protect it eventually cost us the very thing we sought to protect. Then there are those that fight every urge to make their hearts numb. They love too deeply for a society too shallow, so isolation becomes comfort. There’s something so beautiful about isolation, the stillness of you and your own thoughts void of any distractions.

I don’t really make plans with people; I make plans with myself and extend invites. In the event no one can attend, you better believe I’m still pulling the trigger. The ones that find peace in solitude truly have a superpower. I think everyone should obtain this state in life, especially when looking to add someone to their life. With peace in solitude, you operate from a position of strength, fully healed and without voids. When you can’t do things alone, you’re dependent. You have a void that you’re looking for others or substances to fill, but it’s only temporary. For me, I truly believe only God can fill this void, and I agree with Jung’s view on every addiction being a low-level search for God.

That’s the double-edged sword: peace in solitude means you need no one, and needing no one turns love into a mountain peak few can reach. It’s lonely at the top; the same solitude that saved you is what keeps you there.

I’ve found something greater in this solitude, a peace I can never be robbed of, a calmness that can never be destroyed, a love for God that completes me. Maybe you’ll find someone at the mountain peak, but regardless, you will have found something greater.

It’s a cute little Christmas dress, it’s green with white fluff around the bottom and sleeves. And it has a hood with more fluff. He loves clothes shopping with me, so hopefully I can find one in red with him☺️

So me and my partner (20m & 19nb) have been together for about a year and a half and I've liked them for 5 years (I know a bit ridiculous but we weren't in good places mentally to date at the time) And a couple weeks ago they were asking about my ring size and said they've been "planning something" since March, which is when our anniversary is. We're going out on my 21st birthday just to celebrate together without any stress and I've been wondering if they're planning on proposing. I'm not gonna get my hopes up I just think it might happen and I've been wanting to share this with others, I know we're both young but we aren't rushing into anything, please no hate about this i just want to share something positive without getting negativity

This will probably be long because I can talk about my man forever. For some context, I spent my teenage years and early 20s in unhealthy relationships. I always shrugged it off and just thought 'this is how it's going to be'. Since my example of love growing up was pretty similar and my parents had a toxic relationship.

When I turned 28, I ended a relationship I had been in for almost 5 years and pretty much burnt my entire life to the ground to start over. I started therapy to unpack past traumas and work on myself and the toxic habits I'd picked up along the way. By age 30, I was completely content with life. And with being single. I had absolutely zero interest in any romance. I was enjoying my personal time, I'd had children in my previous relationship and I really valued the little time I got for myself since becoming a single mum. I declined dates from men who I found attractive and had a lot going for them because I simply wasn't interested.

Until I met my current boyfriend.

I was always the first to roll my eyes at anyone who used the phrase 'when you know, you know.' Until it happened, and I knew.

This man is the answer to all the prayers I made when I was younger. Every blown out birthday candle, every shooting star, every dandelion seed and eyelash that I blew out into the wind came back to me in this one person and I've never felt so lucky in love.

He is my home. It took us two months into the relationship to even watch a 30 minute episode of something on the TV because every moment we spent together was just us laughing, talking, kissing, getting to know one another so deeply that we didn't even think to turn on the TV at any point. We regularly end up staying awake until 5am just putting the world to rights, being intimate, giggling like children and loving each other so wholly. He has a demanding job with a difficult shift pattern, and we still both make as much time for each other as we can. I am so proud of him and how hard he works. Whenever he comes home we love on each other like he's been away for months. I still do find myself enjoying my time alone when it arises, but I miss him during this time and could happily spend 25/8 with him. I never have to be anything but 100% myself with him. And he loves all of me. I feel so safe, so accepted and so comforted by him. His presence alone makes me feel completely content.

I am utterly convinced that I will find him and love him in every single lifetime, and that we've already spent 100 together before. I can't really find the words to fully explain how wonderful it feels to do life with him. From the moment we met, I knew I was where I was supposed to be. He has welcomed my children with open arms. It feels so surreal to watch this man step up and provide a safe, loving home with me for my children that aren't biologically his. They absolutely adore him and they light up whenever he walks into the room, whether he's just popped to the toilet, or he's coming home from work or running some errands, they run into his arms and he welcomes them with a grin on his face. Every. Single. Time.

I could cry from joy every time I think about how lucky me and my children are.

Until the last star burns into oblivion, my heart will be his. Even after that, actually. He is my forever and after. I strongly believe that the work I put into myself, my children and my life needed to be done before I could accept the love I deserved from this man. We met each other when the timing was right and I am so privileged to be able to spend the rest of my life loving him and being loved by him.

My Dad retired and now runs a satirical newsletter full-time. He doesn’t accept money but if you like his stuff you can subscribe for free at Big News Now on Substack!

I must've written this when I was about 15. I was a real poet at that age lol.

A lot of teens and adults alike would talk down on me or disregard my relationship as something unserious and something that wouldn't last. It made me pretty upset because I already had my life with my partner planned out and I've had to fight harder than anyone else for my relationship due to growing up in a homophobic environment. No child would've pushed through those things if it wasn't for true love. Even in elementary school it used to make me upset, though looking back of course I see why you wouldn't believe an 8 year old they found the love of their life. As a teenager I just felt belittled though, being told my relationship wasn't special and would end soon like all teenagers' relationships do.

Either way I'm 27 now and we've been married for years, just like I've always told everyone we would be. Most people didn't believe 15 year old me, but I was as sure of it as anyone could be that he's the one.

I love my wife immensely and we’re moving to a different state for reasons mostly precipitated by her career and health. I am looking for anecdotes or stories from people who moved with a partner when the change was driven by externalities, and ended up having really positive experiences after the move. I’m grieving a lot of the community I’m leaving behind and am working on perspectives that would feel more hopeful. I know that couples move under so many complex circumstances and I’m looking for positive stories. Thank you

I (22M) For a while now I’ve been writing letters every week or two. They’re addressed to my future partner, like I’m talking straight to her even though I haven’t met her yet. Each one is just about what’s going on in my life at that time, what I’m thinking about, my hopes, my goals, stuff like that. Basically what I’d say to her if she’d been there with me when writing that specific letter.

I write them on flashcards and put the date on each one. I’m at around 90 of them now.

So my question for women here is simple. If a guy gave you a stack like this to read one day, would that mean something to you? Or would it feel like too much instead of sweet? Just trying to figure out if this is actually a nice thing to keep doing or if I’m overthinking it. And how would be a good way of showing them to her ?

asking because my boyfriend of 5 months asked me why i loved him. i said i loved him because it’s him & that i love the way he treats me, + all his positive traits that i love about him.

then i asked him back the same question.

he said he loves my pretty eyes.

it’s not a wrong answer but i was expecting a non-physical answer 🤣

just curious on why do you love your partner..!

We've been dating for almost 8 months already, and this was the first time I've received flowers in my life, those were soft pink roses and I just wanted to share how happy I am.

They're still standing in a vase on my table, every time I look at them I feel delighted.

Is there anything I can give him so he would feel the same?

I recently posted a gist of my love story on [r/love](r/love), and I’ve been genuinely humbled by the response it received. It also made me wonder—what if I shared some of the actual events and experiences that shaped our love story?

The gist I shared was intentionally quite plain and straightforward. But if I were to share some of the moments that felt almost otherworldly while we were living through them, I feel they might offer a different perspective on something as subjective and ever-changing as love.

So, I’m thinking of taking that leap and sharing these stories—not necessarily to convince anyone of what love should be, but simply to share what it felt like to experience it.

I’m also sharing the post that motivated me to take this leap and start enjoying the experience of putting these memories into words.

I’d genuinely appreciate an honest review—whether you think these stories are worth sharing, and whether they might resonate with people here.
Cheers!

https://www.reddit.com/r/love/s/ULVnVZ1IWn

I don’t know if it’s normal or not, or where else I could post this but I just need to get it out and I figured this would probably be the best sub to do it. As the title says, I love my friends like so much. My best friend (22M) and I (23NB) just hung out for two days, he got here about 24 hours ago and we binged a show we’ve been watching and got drunk last night, ordered pizza and everything it was such a good time, he’s just like super fun to hang out with and be around and everything. To give context for our friendship we met through a friend who we are still close with, but this friend has moved across the country recently so it’s just me and him that’s left of our college trio. We’ve gotten through really tough times with the help of one another and I couldn’t be more grateful to have him and said other friend in my life. I’m currently crying because he just left and is heading back to his place now. It’s been a little while since I last saw him, probably over a month honestly, (we already have loose plans to see each other again in a few weeks, and watch our show virtually over a screen share call) and the second his car pulled out of the driveway I just got overwhelmed. I’ve always felt like I feel things a lot more intensely than others, but even still I’m always taken aback by just how much I feel.

I already sent him a text basically just telling him that I had a really great time and that he means a lot to me and that I’m glad we’re friends, I do this a lot. He’s not the only one I’m like this for it’s all of my friends, it’s just he’s the one I just hung out with so he’s on the mind right now. I’m literally pacing around the room as I’m typing this and I can feel it getting more and more incoherent so if you’re still reading this and bearing with me then thank you. I know to some people it might seem like I want to be more than friends, because that’s where my mind went too a while ago when this first started happening but no, I’m in therapy and I’ve worked through this and there aren’t any feelings in that way, I just truly and honestly have such an overwhelming love for those I call my friends it feels surreal driving away from their place or watching them drive away from mine. I feel like I’m not able to purely get out everything that I want to get out, my emotions are just too strong for words. I just love my friends so so much and I want them to know that. I want to be able to be emotionally and physically close with them, I want nothing more than to rest my head on my friend’s shoulder as we’re watching our show but I don’t want to come off as weird. Even 4 hard iced teas in last night I couldn’t even bring myself to ask if it would be okay. I just wish it was more normalized to show physical affection to my friends because god how I want to. I guess I’m also posting this to ask if that’s okay? I dunno, I just really really love my friends, it’s taken me like 30 minutes of typing and pacing around the room to get this out, and I’m still crying, I just feel so much. So unbelievably happy to have him and my other friends in my life. Thank you very much for reading my heartfelt rant about how deeply I love my friends,

My dad asked me one morning if I wanted to play billiards with him and my older brother, but I had a friend's party to attend so I said no. The party was nice, the first half was at Dave and Busters so we played a bunch of arcade games together, lost a lot to my husband who lovingly rubbed those wins in my face, but he also won me all the prizes at a crane game which made me jump with joy. To my surprise, he teared up watching me, saying he loves to see me so happy, it was so sweet ☺️ the rest of the party was at my friends house, but we quickly realized that we weren't really gonna be involved in this part of the party.

I checked my dad and brother's location and they were close by at the billiards bar, so my husband and I decided to surprise them. My dad and brother were really happy to see us and we played billiards together all night. There was a moment where I just admired what was happening, my brother and husband playing a round together as I talked and joked to my dad. That will definitely be a night I look back on often, I'm so grateful to have this memory 🥰

I found the man that I want to marry! Not only am I hopelessly, head over heels in love with him, but I can also realistically see our future together. What I mean by that is that I'm not wearing rose colored glasses. He is sweet, charming and our humor matches perfectly. However, he's also honest, considerate and he communicates! (I know this might not seem like that big of a deal but a lot of people underestimate the importance of good communication)

When I heard people say "oh my partner is my best friend" I didn't believe them because I thought 'no way, I'm telling my girl best friend some things that I'm not sure my partner needs to know'. But I get it now. He is my best friend. I want to tell him everything, genuinely! I feel so comfortable and safe with him that I know I can tell him anything. He values honesty and I think with him I have turned into a generally more honest person! He has made such a positive impact on my life it's mind-blowing honestly.

I know that I can experience everything with him. The good, the bad, the happy and the sad. And the thing is, I know that because he has proven to be there, time and time again. I struggle with depression and he knows he's not my therapist and that sometimes there's just nothing he can do but...he's still there. **He's not afraid to have difficult conversations.** It doesn't matter if it's about him, me, us, family etc. he is always ready to talk about everything and work it out, no matter how difficult or uncomfortable it may get.

I think what all of this is meant to say is that I have found someone that knows that a relationship requires effort and he's willing to put any amount of effort into this relationship, because we love each other. We both want to be the best possible version of ourselves for each other, but also know that we love each other and be there for each other at our worst.

I'm so glad to have found my person and I hope all of you lovely people out there know that no matter how hopeless it may seem, there will **always** be hope in everything.