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How I Met the Love of My Life
Eight romantic tales of finding the one that will touch your heart
iStock/Getty Images Plus site or thanks to a mutual friend. But many great love stories begin when people least expect it — while stuck in a traffic jam, surrounded by caskets at a funeral home, or returning a silly movie at a video store, for instance. Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP the Magazine. The stories of those fateful encounters are among those we gathered from our AARP.org readers and Facebook followers, all of whom seemed to feel that however their paths crossed, their love was meant to be. In their own words, here are a few of our favorite tales. Courtesy Elizabeth Servedio Stuck in Traffic
Almost 19 years ago, when I was in my early 30s, I was stuck in rush-hour traffic on Interstate 5 in Seattle. Anthony was a passenger in a car next to mine, carpooling to work with a friend of his. He’d look over at me and smile and I’d smile, and he’d wave, then I’d wave. This went on for about 10 minutes. Then he finally wrote his telephone number and his name, “Tony,” on a piece of paper, and held it to the window (at his friend’s prodding, I found out later). I dug around in my purse and found an envelope and an eyeliner, and wrote his number down before we separated. I called him that night, and said, “This is your I-5 friend,” and we talked for three hours. He told me he was divorced and had a 2-year-old daughter and was literally starting his life all over again. We set a coffee date for two days later, and hit it off. We married four years later, the day before Valentine’s Day. I just think: If I were 30 seconds earlier or later getting on the road, it may have kept me from this amazing man. I was so lucky to be driving by. — Elizabeth Harper Servedio, 51, Seattle Courtesy Debbey Pittinger All in the Family
My son Tom and Bill’s daughter, Ashley, were engaged to be married in Florida. When I met Ashley before the wedding, she joked with me and said, “You know, my dad’s single and I think he’s good looking.” Bill had been divorced for some years, living in West Virginia, and I’d been a widow for seven years, living in St. Louis. We met for the first time the night before our kids’ wedding, and I thought, “Well, he’s not bad.” He started calling and texting me after that, and finagled an invitation to St. Louis, staying with me and my roommate for a few days. I was always hesitant because of the situation — if the relationship went sour, we had kids involved in this — but it was pretty much love at first sight. After two years of a long-distance romance we were married in 2010, and moved to Florida — the same area where it all started. You never know where you will meet the love of your life. — Debbey Pittinger, 71, Tampa, Florida Courtesy Judy Knauer They ll Always Have Paris br
It was the fall of 1967 and I was a newly graduated nurse in New York. I purchased a three-month train pass and Europe on $5 a Day and departed on a student ship for Europe with three friends from nursing school. We ended our trip in Paris, arriving at the Arc de Triomphe at noon on a Saturday, where one friend and I had agreed to meet our two travel buddies arriving from a different direction. What better place to meet than a really obvious landmark in that beautiful city? I soon noticed two young men seated nearby, also apparently waiting for someone. One had long, dark, curly hair, while I had recently had my long hair cut very short in Italy. He thought I was Parisian, and approached me hoping to score a date with a “local.” David was American, studying in London and in Paris for a weekend. A long conversation ensued, since both sets of our friends arrived late. Plans were made for that evening, leading to a glass of wine at Cafe Les Deux Magots. Later we wandered the gorgeous streets of Paris, ending up at the Napoleonic Fountains, with the lighted Eiffel Tower just across the Seine. As fountains cascaded around us, we embraced for our first kiss and our lives were changed forever. David and I still visit Paris and often recall with love that Parisian moment we met. Flowers & Gifts 25% off sitewide and 30% off select items See more Flowers & Gifts offers > — Sara Dooley, 58, Petaluma, California Courtesy Betty Frongello A Fresh Start
It was 1976, and I went to work as a temp at my now-husband Ralph’s company in Lexington, Mass. He explained my responsibilities, then he was gone for around three hours. When he came back I said, sarcastically, “Oh, long lunch, huh?” He actually had gone to a meeting. He was so mad, he tried to fire me that day. He went into the president’s office and said, “I want to get rid of that temp, she’s fresh!” But they decided he’d already trained me, so I stayed. We went out for five years and have been married for 38! — Betty Mahoney Frongello, 63, Parkland, Florida Courtesy Howard Wilson Finding Love After Loss
Linda’s husband Tim was a carcinoid cancer patient. My wife Debbie was a pancreatic cancer patient. Each had endured surgeries and various treatments that eventually led them to Germany for a treatment program that wasn’t yet available in the U.S. In April 2013 Debbie was getting her last treatment and Tim was getting his first. The four of us happened to meet in the lobby on the first day, and Debbie and I helped Tim and Linda get acquainted with the facility and processes during their weeklong stay at the hospital. At the end of the week, the four of us exchanged contact information and stayed in touch — they were living outside Indianapolis, and we were in California. We didn’t know each other that well, but Debbie and I always thought if they didn’t live so far away from us they’d be great friends. AARP NEWSLETTERS %{ newsLetterPromoText }% %{ description }% Subscribe More on home-family AARP NEWSLETTERS %{ newsLetterPromoText }% %{ description }% Subscribe AARP VALUE & MEMBER BENEFITS See more Health & Wellness offers > See more Flights & Vacation Packages offers > See more Finances offers > See more Health & Wellness offers > SAVE MONEY WITH THESE LIMITED-TIME OFFERS