What made you fall in love with your OH?

His big heart and kindness.

Every Sunday, he made a long-distance international phone call to talk to me. For 3 years.

I knew he was when after we had been dating for six months I felt unwell with tonsilitis when we were at the cinema one evening and he took me to where I was lodging with family friends, helped me pack my belongings and drove me to my parents’ house 40 miles away; he made the round trip to see me several times after work until I was better.

I knew mine was a keeper when, one evening when he met me from work to go for a meal and the cinema, I felt so ill he said he would take me home. “Home” was my barracks at Mill Hill and I worked in Berkeley Square. We got on the train at Green Park, rush hour, standing room only. It stopped somewhere around Camden Town, at which point I was sick all over him. He merely pulled me into the overcoat he was wearing and hugged me until we got off at the next station and got a taxi the rest of the way. The taxi driver was not impressed but he took us. I thought that would be the end of us but no. I turned out to have food poisoning from a meal at a Chinese restaurant to celebrate a friend’s birthday. He just said “you do realise you’ve ruined the only decent sweater I own, don’t you?” When I was better, we went shopping!

loopyloo

I do remember, on seeing the boyfriend's flat, how tidy it was, thinking "this will never work".
We've been married for 51 years.

In my case DH (to be) hid just how untidy he was. All his books and magazines were in neat piles round the walls of his bedsit. It was only when I married him I realised that this was because he never put anything away, Just put it in a corner or left it where he had used it, but neatly piled up.

I do remember, on seeing the boyfriend's flat, how tidy it was, thinking "this will never work".
We've been married for 51 years.

I thought he was a keeper when on our second date he gave me a record I had said I liked on our first date. I knew he was when after we had been dating for six months I felt unwell with tonsilitis when we were at the cinema one evening and he took me to where I was lodging with family friends, helped me pack my belongings and drove me to my parents’ house 40 miles away; he made the round trip to see me several times after work until I was better.

Husband #1: he was a tall, good looking teenager with a cool motorbike

Husband #2: he offered romance, and the escape route to leave husband #1

I’m friends with both, but shouldn’t have married either, nor had children (with #2), but hindsight is a wonderful thing.

I was at a friend’s house and walked into her living room. Her brother had just come home from his Saturday job and was sat on the sofa eating a sandwich - I saw his feet (in socks) and his gorgeous hands and that was it …!! Still together 51 years later and I wouldn’t change a thing!

We were at Teachers Training College - I had split from my long term boyfriend in the summer and we got together a few months later . He seemed kind, strong a deep voice and we have been together ever since thru ups and downs - 55 years and 51 married .

Never happened for me….

Mine said: 'We' and not 'I. First time I did not have to earn brownie points.............................

Nice one FGT.

Met when I had a casual job in the civil service, he was working there full time. Got caught in a doorway with him and fell in love. Married for 50 years, he makes me laugh every day.

He said “Get yer coat, you’ve pulled”.

No he absolutely didn’t say that - but that comment (from back in the day) always made me laugh!

I've loved reading the thread like Marg.

Many sympathies for those whose partners in life have passed on ❤️‍🩹.

What matters now, after all these years and a past including emotional abuse in a second marriage? (But a lovely son, and a good relationship with that Ex now). One learns from experience, or gives up?

Tenderness, kindness, loving touch, laughter, tolerance, faithfulness, and learning how to live in the present despite adversity.

Thank you everyone who have contributed so far, I'm really enjoying reading all your replies. Some lovely stories.

Sadgrandma

We had been deserted by our respective spouses after years of marriage and were both very sad. It was just nice to be able to share our feelings with someone who really understood and we grew closer. I think love came gradually but grew stronger and after 42 years I always think that my first husband did me a great favour.

Agree entirely with your last sentence . However , I wouldn't have had my lovely children had it not been for my first husband . So I do owe him that and I'm very grateful 🙏.

Samsara1

I took his clothes off and thought Oh Yes. (he was a patient and unconcious).

My ex nurse wife enjoyed that tale, she has lots of others herself about patients and their families

Sexy voice. Generous. Happy in his own skin. Fell head over heels.
40 years on, still love him so much.

I fell in love with his voice before I ever met him. There was a column in the local paper 'Kate Friendly' and I replied to his ad. We corresponded for 3-4 weeks and then exchanged phone numbers. He worked away and on weekends he was home he had his daughters so it was difficult to meet up He lived in a different town, didn't drive and I didn't have a car at the time. He rang me virtually every night and eventually after a couple of months of phone dates - he was home for a couple of weeks and were able to meet. It felt like we'd known each other for ever - he moved in with me and my daughters a few months later and eventually tied the knot. He was an amazing husband and stepdad to my two girls. Unfortunately our time together was cut short when he passed away suddenly 19 years ago, this year we would have celebrated our 30th Wedding anniversary.

I fell in love after he talked me down from total hysteria about my exams. We were on a date going for a walk as usual (no money) and I completely lost it. I was so stressed, anxious and tearful, so sure I would fail. He was utterly calm, kind and caring. I passed the exams and we got engaged. Married 50 years this month.

Lots of chemistry and a romantic invite to The Madrid Capital and it just happened !!

It was lust at first sight, tbh, but if he'd turned out to be boring or stupid or mean, that would have been the end of it. A creative engineer, he was none of those things, but he was impulsive, untidy and poor at time management. Unfitted for corporate life, he eventally started his own company, which he ran happily until he was well over 70. And he loved me faithfully for 59 years, as I did him.

grumppa

She was a gorgeous redhead, and when she dumped her boyfriend, who played in the same front row of the scrum as me at our local rugby club, I moved quickly. We clicked, and were married in just under a year from our first date. Our golden wedding was followed all too soon by her dying.

So so sorry .. All our deepest condolences.

I was 12 when I went to visit a new friend. She had some other friends there and we all sat around chatting. We had a jokey argument about our local football club (Spurs) and that was that. I wrote his name and mine together all over my school pencil case. We are both still big Spurs fans and do everything together. We got engaged at 17 just two months before my Dad died . The way he treated me then convinced me he was the right one for me. How right I was, we have now been married 57yrs and are still extremely happy. 😃