How many relationships before you found the one?

[PositiveNegative]

Hey everyone,

 

My 2nd relationship just ended. I'm young but she was a girl that I really saw myself wanting to end up with someday. She broke it off because she knew she couldn't possibly marry me unless she knew what love really was and did not want to end up like her divorced parents. I understand her reasons in someways but I know that their are people out there that married their first loves. I was just wondering, for you married people out there, how many relationships did it take you to find your spouse? Thanks!

[reboot]

Too many to count.

[sunshinegirl]

My husband was my fifth significant relationship.

[Thornton]

It took me thirteen failed relationships to find someone I thought I might like to commit to. Relationships ranged from a month up to 2-3 years, and relationship no.14 was the one I committed to.

[make me believe]

My husband was my third serious relationship. I also had a bunch of casual relationships/dating in addition to the two other serious relationships.

[Afishwithabike]

Several casual relationships and two significant relationships before I met my husband.

[Stung]

I had to really think about this for a little bit.

 

I dated a lot and also had several fairly casual relationships, where we both liked each other a lot and were exclusive for a while but neither of us saw it as some intense love. I had a few emotional flings that only lasted a few months due to outside circumstances, but were very romantic and heart-wrenching. Then I would say I had five really serious relationships that lasted for a couple of years each, including one engagement that I broke off and two people I lived with, got my heart broken pretty badly a couple of times from those big five, and also broke a few hearts.

 

I met my now-husband when I was 30 and he was 35, he had lived with people before also (one for almost 5 years) but this is the first marriage for both of us. I'm still friends with 3 out of the 5 former serious relationships (at least, we're friendly and casually in touch, if not exactly great friends who hang out a lot), and they're good people who I loved once and care about still, but I'm so, so, SO glad that I am with my husband and not with them. I'm 36 now, btw, and very happily married and have a couple of kids.

 

I know a handful of people who are still with their high school or college paramours, and they make it work and so that's awesome for them. However, the vast majority of people I knew who settled down early like that are already divorced. I personally am glad that I had a chance to sow some wild oats, get to know myself well, and learn a lot of hard life lessons about things like relationships, communication, commitment, and conflict resolution before I tried to do something as serious as getting married and having kids.

[Woggle]

I had my prom date who I dated for a year and my ex wife. That is it because no other woman lasted more than a few months. I am now with my wife who is great even though I could do better in appreciating her.

[Citizen Erased]

I had two boyfriends, and then my now husband.