"The love of my life" - what does that actually mean?

Crafting stand away from the wine glass, lol.

The love of my life was the young man I had a five year relationship with after I got divorced. He was kind, thoughtful, generous with time and spirit, made me laugh every day and made me feel loved and cared for. I was married for 19 years and my ex was mean spirited with time, had me frustrated and confused, in tears more times than I care to remember and was violent.

I still miss the love of my life after eight years without him but at least I have had that time in my life.

It means your favourite ex!

Although in my case it really does mean my DH 'cos even though we sometimes fratch and fall out, I still love the old so and so.

kitty I'm not that young at 68
Anyway, cba now!

Ok hang on it's not me it must be some spell check thing I meant weird not wired for the second time!

Even though I can't spell he still loves me!! I meant wired not wired

My DH is the love of my life now and always will be - he is wonderful and I am blessed. Neither of us would win any glamour competitions (far from it!) but he was the kindest nicest man when I met him and I've never met anyone better. He adores our children and grandchildren though why he chose me I will never know but I'm very grateful that he did. Sorry, really soft I know but I love him to bits and for some wired reason he seems to feel the same about me

My ex DH2 used to wibble on in his cups about 'the love of his life' who he had fallen for, many years ago when he was 19. I came to think rather cynically that the love of his life represented an impossible standard that no real living and breathing woman could match up to. I decided to stop trying and ended the marriage.

I have been married for 47 years but I wouldn't use the expression 'love of my life' exactly.

Too overwhelming!

There's plenty of time Lona - you're still young!

I've never met the love of my life. I thought I had, but he turned out to be nothing of the kind.

One definition of 'soul' in my dictionary is 'the moral, emotional or intellectual nature of a person'.

By that definition, DH is my soul mate!

That doesn't mean that I don't want to murder him sometimes and, no doubt, he me!

Yup!

I always thought the 'love of my life' was the one that got away.

What always puzzles me, in this non-religious world is why people talk about soul-mates - and what does that mean?

Some people meet someone who they love for the rest of their life, but I bet they still had their differences. I remember being told the story of an elderly couple celebrating very happily their golden wedding and someone asked the husband 'Do you mean in all those years, you have never felt like divorcing your wife. The reply was: 'Divorce never, murder frequently.'

How weird! I would never have connected that expression primarily with a sexual relationship. I would think it has to do with longevity and an enduring affection, and passion, of course. But not exclusively with sex or a "magnificent obsession".

I have never said DH is " love of my life" even though he is the only man not related to me that I've ever loved. I've known him 42 years.

I've always thought it was the person you've loved most. I agree that it's sexually orientated.

DH is certainly my only one and as janerowena explains it, no one has ever or ever will measure up to him. My soulmate.

glad to hear that Kitty [and so would he!]

Ok - it's DH!!!

Has duration anything to do with it?

"The love that lasts longest is the love that is never returned."
Somerset Maugham

(Not sure how much he knew about it!)

My ex left me saying he had met the love of his life. He married, then left her for another - then moved on and is married yet again. Apparently you can have several loves of your life.

I don't think it would necessarily have to be a sexual relationship, but I know what you mean, roses. There can sometimes tend to be a bit of a rose-tinted view of past as well...

I always thought that 'the love of my life' only referred to a relationship that was sexual though kitty.We can love many people, family and friends, but I think the phrase means the only person [that we had a relationship with] and meant more to us than any other, either before or after.As in someone may say ' I am very happy with my second husband, but my first husband /partner was the love of my life.So a loving, and romantic, and sexual relationship.That's what I always thought it meant anyway.

I don't have a love of my life. DH is my soul mate but I love my children and grandchildren deeply too - just in a different way

The one you measure all others by, even if you try not to. (DBH and I split up for a while some years back)