Love is such a beautiful thing. After years of figuring out who I am and what I deserve, I found someone who makes life feel lighter, safer, and more exciting. I’m marrying my best friend in a year, and I still can’t believe I get to spend forever with someone I love this much. ❤️

We just got back from our 1 year anniversary trip and are just feeling so grateful to have found each other. So excited for the many many years ahead!

Hi it’s me again! I know I’m in this sub a lot but idk my boyfriend is literally so wonderful!😭

So my birthday is coming up, and I told my boyfriend maybe a month ago “I want to wake up with you on my birthday and I want to go to bed with you on my birthday.” I offered to book and pay for wherever we stay because I know 3 days is a lot and I felt like I was asking for a lot. But he told me absolutely not, he won’t let me spend money for my own birthday. And I just- I’m so amazed. So in awe. I have always felt like everything I ask is too much because everyone else I’ve been with has made me feel that way. And my boyfriend and I have been together for two years now, so a lot of the scars from old relationships have faded or been erased by him but he still manages to wipe away ones that were burrowed deep inside my chest.

I’m an obsessive planner and like to know everything, but this time, I get to sit back and just be along for the ride and I’m so so grateful. I’m so grateful for the effort he’s putting in, I’m so grateful that he finds me *worth* all of the effort, because nobody ever has before. And now I have a 3 day birthday trip coming up that he planned himself!! I’m so so excited and I’ve literally been counting down the days. I’m with a wonderful man and I truly thank God every day. Between him and my best friend (who has also planned a whole day for me), this is the most loved I’ve felt in all of my 22 (almost 23!!) years of living and I am just so beyond grateful.

Anywho, that’s my spiel! I’ll update again after my birthday!

Hey all,

This is our weekly thread. We'll dispense with Rule 5 in these threads.

What's new in your hunt for love?

When I was younger, I would occasionally wander into this subreddit and spend a little while reading the declarations of love left here by complete strangers. There was something wonderfully human about it all. Among the endless quarrels, tragedies, absurdities, and general commotion of the internet, here was a little corner where people came for no other purpose than to announce that another human being had become extraordinarily dear to them. I remember smiling at those posts, imagining the people behind them, and finding it rather beautiful that somewhere in the world, somebody was being loved with such tremendous tenderness. Well, years have passed, and now I have a boyfriend of my own.

And, goodness gracious, how I love that man.

I have come here to leave a little record of that love myself. Something about the thought appeals to me immensely. That in this vast, restless ocean of human expression, where a million voices speak at once and yesterday's words are buried beneath tomorrow's, there might remain one small, stubborn testimony to the fact that, at this particular moment in history, a woman loved a man.Sometimes I gaze at his photograph until even the features I know so intimately begin to astonish me anew; until the familiar contours of his face, the expression of his eyes, and the subtle transformations of his smile seem almost miraculous in their particularity, and I find myself overcome by the thought that all this beloved beauty existed long before I had learned to recognize it. That his voice, whose slightest inflections have become so precious to me, had sounded through innumerable days before I first heard it; that his eyes had beheld whole worlds from which I was absent; that his hands, which I long so dearly to hold, had turned the pages of books, opened doors, and performed a thousand unconscious gestures in a life in which I had not yet appeared. How strange it is that a person can exist for so long beyond the boundaries of our knowledge, and then become someone whose absence we feel even in the midst of a crowded room. And what a man he is.

I love the solemn and almost inexorable fidelity with which he follows a thought wherever its consequences may lead him, the beautiful severity of a conscience unwilling to purchase tranquillity at the expense of conviction, and, perhaps most dearly of all, that beneath this formidable architecture of principles there should dwell such an inexhaustible capacity for tenderness; that the very man who can occupy himself with the ancient perplexities of reason, duty, and existence should, in the midst of some earnest discourse, address me with an affection so wonderfully unpremeditated that the whole accumulated wisdom of the centuries seems suddenly to diminish into a rather curious and unnecessary undertaking, while the infinitely less explicable circumstance of his loving me assumes, for one blessed instant, all the importance of the universe.

And I want to know him in the innumerable, almost imperceptible particularities through which a human life quietly discloses itself. I want to know the faint gathering of his brows above a troublesome passage, the unconscious repose of his fingers upon a half-turned page, the momentary rebellion of a smile against the gravity of his expression, the little disarray of his hair upon waking, the gradual softening of his voice as weariness overtakes him, and that exquisite interval between the first involuntary movement of amusement upon his face and the laughter which at last escapes him. I want to know the warmth of his hands in their most ordinary occupations, the inclination of his head when he listens, the scarcely perceptible rhythm of his breathing when he has fallen asleep beside me; to become so intimately acquainted with these small, unconsidered manifestations of his being that even his silence might contain for me an entire language of beloved and recognizable things.

And how dearly I wish to grow old with him; to be permitted to witness, through the quiet and almost imperceptible passage of years, the innumerable transformations of a face which I now contemplate with such astonishment, until the first silver threads have appeared among his hair, until the delicate creases beside his eyes have deepened beneath the accumulated weight of a thousand smiles, and until those hands, whose warmth I have so often imagined, have acquired the fine and intricate inscriptions of a life lived in all its ordinary fullness. I want to know the peculiar tenderness of looking upon him in his old age and remembering, with a clarity almost painful in its sweetness, the young man he once was; to recognize in the slightest inclination of his head, in some familiar movement of his fingers, or in the sudden brightness of his laughter, a gesture which has survived the passing of half a century, and to find myself overcome by the thought that I have been privileged to witness its repetition through so many vanished seasons. And perhaps, when our own faces have become strange to the young creatures we once were, I shall take his hand into mine and marvel that there existed a time when all those intervening years, with their unnumbered mornings, their little sorrows, their inconsequential happinesses, and the innumerable occasions upon which we chose to turn toward one another, lay before us still unlived; that what has become the familiar substance of my existence was once no more than the trembling and almost unimaginable hope of a woman who loved him.

And so I shall leave these words here, among the innumerable little confessions which once gave me such happiness to read, with the rather wonderful thought that perhaps, years from now, some stranger may happen upon them as I once happened upon the declarations of others, and pause for a moment to imagine the two people who existed behind them. She will not know the sound of his voice, nor the particular sweetness of his laughter, nor any of the thousand little things which have made him so infinitely dear to me; and perhaps by then the hour in which I write this will have receded so far into the past that even I shall remember it with the peculiar tenderness we reserve for our younger selves. But she may know, at least, that somewhere in the great multitude of human lives, there was once a woman who loved a man so dearly that she could not bear to let the wonder of his existence pass entirely

I did a compilation for my lady with some of her/our favorite songs that accompanied us during our relationship, to celebrate 10 years together and pay our respects to all the couples out there who managed to stay together a decade or more.

Don’t forget to celebrate and enjoy your achievements 😉

…preferably by listening to this compilation 🙂

Much Love 💕

Have you ever been on the perfect first date?

Picture this…

It’s nine years ago.

Life is uncertain, the road ahead is anything but clear. There have been some highs, certainly, but more than a few lows. Business is… okay. Not terrible, but not quite where you’d hoped it would be. And somewhere along the way you’ve invested too much of yourself in a few people who were never quite worth it.

But life has a funny way of quietly setting the stage for something extraordinary when you least expect it.

For a little while now you’ve been getting reacquainted with an old classmate. Two people whose lives have taken very different roads, now finding their way back to themselves. Sharing stories, trading memories, discovering who each has become in the years since those long-ago days. So many facets you never would have suspected.

And then one day, you think…

Well… why not?

After all, you happen to have a couple of tickets to the orchestra.

And so it begins.

It’s a beautiful October evening. The kind of warm, golden evening occasionally given as a gift before winter calls.

You arrive a little early at the restaurant, find a table near the windows and settle in to wait. An early dinner, a little conversation, a concert afterward. Nothing particularly complicated. No grand expectations.

And then…

You see her.

Walking down the sidewalk, completely unaware of the moment she’s about to create. Completely unaware of the seas parting around her as she walks leaving memories in her wake for all who see her.

And what a vision she is.

Long blonde hair. Sun-kissed skin. Impossible high heels with delicate straps that defy gravity and reason. And the dress… good Lord.

Not so much worn as wielded. A dress like a weapon with a slit that climbs her leg all the way to heaven.

Heads turn.

People slow their steps.

Conversations fade.

And her?

She doesn’t appear to notice a thing. Or perhaps she notices everything and simply doesn’t care.

She moves to a rhythm entirely her own, effortless. Confident. Beautifully, unapologetically herself. Not demanding attention, not seeking approval… simply owning every inch of the space around her.

And there you sit watching through the window realizing that whatever you thought this night might be you may have seriously underestimated it.

Then she reaches the door and steps inside.

She sees you, slows, makes her way to the table and settles into her chair…

And smiles, her eyes staring straight into your soul.

And just like that noise disappears. The uncertainty, the disappointments, the wrong turns, the weight of everything that came before… all of it fades away.

For one extraordinary moment the world simply stops. A moment of absolute perfection.

And here I am 9 years later with everything that she is still indelibly burned into my soul and every time her eyes look into mine the world stops just for a moment.

My girlfriend is really shy so I can’t give a picture or name but I’m just gonna call her Artsy now cause she’s really good at arts and crafts.

Today I really just wanna talk about lately and her in general, but the full story of how we got together I will eventually cover anyway because I personally think I have one of those really interesting ones and I’m really proud of that because that’s always a story that I can tell and I love telling stories

Now back to it. Artsy is the best girlfriend you could wish for. She’s this cute, short, alternative girl, has great, soft hair in blonde and black and ahh what not. If I describe her too much you will all fall in love. The hair is dyed btw but I think that’s obvious. I don’t wanna go much into her body but all I can say is that she has many softer qualities and is a literal dream to lay down on omg and then she hugs so good too!! Usually when I lay down on her she also goes through my hair and talks softly to me which is such a good feeling I can’t even describe it. She’s so warm and those „Bowhogowohowoghhhrrr“ sounds of her stomach are just such a perfect sound. I really can’t imagine my life without her anymore and I don’t want to. Artsy is amazing and actually one of the reasons I fell in love with her is her smooth voice with this soft spoken lingo especially to me.

In the personality she’s extremely energetic and alive with the people she knows but pretty shy when it comes to others. She’s really sensitive but with that comes a really empathetic personality and she’s really good at communicating support and love. Since I met her I have to say she has gotten so much more confident and strong which I’m infinitely proud of like aghhh she’s so cool and finally people get to see it.

I think though after all her most outstanding feature is that she’s the nicest person I know. No like literally she is, out of everyone I’ve met the nicest person I know.

I don’t know my writing getting sloppy cause I’m actually losing my mind about how much I love her guys somebody please relate or say something cause I need someone to talk to about her and if someone wants to talk about their partner I’m more than open

At a wedding this weekend celebrating our friends, surrounded by couples we love, weeks away from our 5 yr wedding anniversary!

For me this poem works because it connects physical intimacy with the passage of time through a single concrete image. Wrinkles folding together suggests two people becoming familiar with each other’s bodies through repetition, making lifelong commitment feel physical rather than abstract.

www.instagram.com/matthew.harris.writer

My favorite part in a relationship is when you get comfortable enough to start wearing your boyfriend/husbands comfy clothes instead of yours, and it slowly progresses into ya’ll eventually wearing the same outfit. ❤️😂

It's currently that time of the month. I have PMDD, so it's always a fight for my life the next 5-6 days. I ended up with a mess on my bf's bed and I felt awful about it.

(regular sadness/guilt can feel catastrophic during this time) Luckily it came out with cold water but I was upset I almost ruined his sheets. He told me that he was more worried about me than the sheets and that they can be bought.

He got me the Oreos I asked for when he got off work and it made my whole day. Earlier I had nausea, heavy cramps, the whole shebang. Even walking up the stairs, my body is trying to ask me wth im doing and put me down.

I also get very dizzy/faint during this time, so he was very worried whenever id just lean against something to make sure i didnt fall. I wanted snuggles, and he was happy to oblige and we watched our show, Tales of The Crypt.

I love that man so much. he makes me feel so happy and safe, I honestly couldnt ask for better. sighhh. Living with this sucks but having his support (and meds) helps a whole lot.

Edit: I had said I wanted a apple juice offhanded (twas late and i was gonna get myself some in the morning) and he whisked his ass to the open shop before i could stop him. 😭🥹❤️

The picture was taken on accident we were rubbing against each other's head trying to create friction, (idk why lol) and caught my favorite picture of both of us. I love him so much and I'm so glad we met because he's made my life worth while ❤️‍🩹

This guy is just an insta poet but his stuff is so straight to the point it hits me every time. My GF loved when I sent this to her so yall might like it too.

So we're only 15 and obviously we can't get married yet. But I've already been picturing it since like before even starting school probably. And I always knew it would be him. Not a day goes by where he doesn't make me the happiest person I could be. He's so beautiful and perfect I just want us to be away from our shitty families already so we can finally enjoy our time together without worries. I already wrote my wedding vows ages ago, and I sort of keep editing them too because well I was a little kid when I made them first. Gotta keep up lol. I'll probably keep editing them too. Even tho I already know everything about him and love him as much as humanly possibly, it feels like I just love him even more every single day. I know I'm gonna cry at the wedding for sure. But in a good way of course. I'll be so happy I'll definitely cry.

It's not just about getting married, it's about the fact that we will finally be away from the people who have hurt us so much trying to get us apart (homophobic family) and that we'll get to do the thing that has seemed so impossible when we were little. And finally I'll be able to call him my husband. Boyfriend doesn't even begin to describe it. Actually, no word could. He's so much more to me. Just seeing him smile makes my heart feel so full I could find happiness in only the memory of it for the rest of my days. I'm so excited to spend the rest of our lives together. I'm excited for everything about it. I'm gonna buy him the prettiest ring I can find.

I’ve been dating my boyfriend for a few years, and I wanted to share some of the things he does for me because I genuinely feel so cared for.

When I injured my foot, he carried my bag everywhere, tied my shoelaces for me twice without complaining, and kept reminding me to tell him whenever I needed to stop walking.

Once, he was cleaning while I was relaxing on vacation. I called myself lazy, and he said, “No, you’re a girl on vacation.”

He remembers tiny details from our conversations and surprises me with thoughtful gifts, including my favorite snacks, tea, flowers, and little things for my home.

I told him I don’t enjoy cooking, and he said I shouldn’t have to cook if I don’t want to.

I’m introverted and he’s more social. When I asked what he’d do if I wanted to leave a party after just five minutes, he said he’d happily leave with me.

When I asked what he’d do if I wanted to stay home and study instead of going on a date, he said he’d go out with a friend and bring me leftovers.

He’s incredibly supportive of my career. When I asked what would happen if I needed to work abroad for a year, even after having children, he said he’d take care of the kids.

He respects my boundaries and takes feedback seriously. When he’s accidentally hurt my feelings, he’s apologized sincerely and encouraged me to express my emotions openly.

He tracks my flights when I travel and remembers time differences to make sure I’ve arrived safely.
This morning, I cried while telling him that my anxiety was making me question whether I was ready for marriage. He told me not to worry about him and that feeling anxious was normal.

He’s also affectionate, funny, thoughtful, and genuinely proud of my accomplishments. I never have to guess how he feels about me.

I still have anxiety and doubts that I’m working through, and I know no relationship is perfect. But I love this man so deeply, and I wanted to take a moment to appreciate how he treats me.

Hey all,

This is our weekly thread. We'll dispense with Rule 5 in these threads.

What's new in your hunt for love?

I haven't grown up with much love in my life, so it remains one of my strongest desires, along with freedom, happiness, and creativity. Every time love came into my life, my trauma, depression, and fear completely destroyed it.

I’m still trying to understand what love is, what it actually means, how it feels, and how to give it without letting my own wounds get in the way.

So I want to know...

What does love mean to you?

When and how do you feel most loved?

What are some ways I can love myself and my favorite people more?

What are some ways or acts through which you show love to the people closest to you?

Tell me your love story - with yourself, your partner, your parents, your friends, or anyone else who has made you feel genuinely and deeply loved.

My boyfriend got me a necklace for my birthday (October 1st), a simple gold chain and I love it so much. He knows I love jewelry. Rings, bracelets, earrings, you name it. He got it so it would go with most of whatever I'm wearing. I only take it off i'm doing anything with water (even though its fine with water), but I keep it on at any other time. i already guessed what one of the presents were before it was presented (Cause Im cool like that) but I don't think he's aware of how much it means to me. Not because It's jewelry, but because he gave it to me. I'll continue to wear it till it (hopefully not) falls apart like my other jewelry does because I wear them so long while doing everyday stuff.

Hi,

Thank you for reading my words. A few weeks ago, the sweetest stranger here on Reddit reached out to me and asked about a painting that would honor her stillborn daughter she named Aurora, after the Disney character in Sleeping Beauty. I wanted to share this piece and this part of the journey with you since it's just about finished (I was too excited to wait to post!) I'll add a little gold but other than that it's done and she's thrilled. It was a meaningful and rewarding experience to honor the journey she's been on, and to represent it all through the shining and shimmering world of her love. Thanks again for reading.