Has anyone ever loved you?

Yes, but in retrospect, probably only in the moment.

Which is exactly how I've loved others.

Romantic love is probably overrated. I've been with my partner for decades and cannot imagine or even desire to be with anyone else. We definitely love each other and committed to each other but romance has never been part of the equation.

[Quote] romance has never been part of the equation.

Not even in the beginning at least?

Romance was ALWAYS a part of the equation for us.

He died 5 years ago and romance is still part of the equation.

That aspect has never been there, R3. I was never the settling down type as much as I thought I was at the time. When I met my partner, something just clicked, and life fell into place. Love comes in many forms and the love we have works perfectly for us.

How old were you both when you met r5?

Do stalkers count?

r7 = the ghost of Linda Riss

Someone said they loved me once... and then they died, which sucks because i was a pretty lovable guy now i am an embittered 80's cartoon villian.

Late 30s, R6.

Thanks, r10.

There's hope!

I’ve been very closed off my whole life—started to hide I was gay and never was able to open up to feelings. I’ve never been frank enough for anyone to love me

There is, R11. Just be realistic in separating what you've dreamed of and what is actually in front of you. Most of us would never find anyone if we were holding out only for our soulmate.

I think being gay makes it a bit harder, r13

Without a doubt, R14.

I met my husband at The Dugout 23 years ago. The first 5 years or so were ballistically sexual and then it started tempering. Today, even thinking about him not being in my life makes me well up but it certainly isn't like that first 5 years. That said, we say "I love you" pretty much every day.

It's worth noting I NEVER thought this would be my life. I was a fucking whore before we met. A very happy whore who laughed at other couples and their boring existence. And now I'm one of them. Funny how that happens.

Two guys, one of whom I suspect couldn’t get enough love and the other never thought he would until he met me.

We were all a lot less aware of the results of childhood sexual abuse fifty years ago, and I never discussed it with him, but the first was a little musclebunny in endless need of both loving affirmation and heavy duty domination. The sex was intense but consuming. He couldn’t get enough of what I thought was a lot. I loved him a lot, too. But he fucked around when I wanted to settle down. Sadly, ten years after we split up he was dead of HIV. We stayed friends and I helped his boyfriend take care of him when he was ill. A bit of me died when he did.

The other one blew me away the night I met him 45 years ago. He was in the military and had had a couple of flings but said there was no chance for a lasting relationship because people were always being posted somewhere else after six months or so. Worse, as attractive, intelligent and personable as he is, (his face was on recruiting posters) he told me I was the first man who’d ever romanced him. I’m glad I did. He had a tough childhood, starved for attention, and my crazy family piled it on.

The wooing worked. He’s still here.

Yes, OP. My man and I have been together 24 years and we love each other very much.

My mom and my siblings do and a few close friends but no I don’t think romantically

Honestly, only my parents and two sisters, but they actually love me, and I have come to see this is more than enough.

It's funny now and then...

My ex-partner loved me very much, and still does (40 years later), but things shifted because of my drinking. We lost some trust there, but we're still best friends.

Yeah, I've been *in* love with three people in my life; they loved me in return and it was the best feeling.

I would r23: while I've had some speculator sex in my life, the best sex was with the one person who I truly loved, and who truly loved me in return.

I'be been in love before. The hardest part is when you're in it.

I’ve been in love 4 times in my life.

None of them loved me back and actively chose other people.

The last one this happened with hurts the worst because he had every opportunity to get out of the situation he was in and choose me. But he didn’t. I suppose he was never going to.

r25 in his Anatomy of Melancholy (first published 1621), Robert Burton discusses love as its own type of melancholy.

r24 should read spectacular, obviously

Does Jesus count?