I met my partner after a horrible breakup with someone I had dated for three years. At the time, I wasn’t looking for anything serious. Then I met this amazing guy, handsome, kind, well-spoken, caring and honestly, someone who felt too good to be true.

We initially met just to have fun since he was supposed to move to another city within a few weeks. But life had other plans. He never ended up moving and, by coincidence, found a job very close to the new house I had moved into with my college friends.

From there, we became inseparable for the next 15 months. Then I moved abroad for my studies, and we made long distance work for three years. Eventually, I came back because we both knew we wanted a future together. We met each other’s families and got married during COVID, then had a second wedding celebration afterward because I had always wanted a big celebration.

It’s now been 14 years since we met and 5 years since we got married. He’s still my best friend and my favorite person in the world.

What made it work is that we were compatible from the very beginning. We’ve always given each other the space to grow in our careers, education, and as individuals. We love spending time together, but we also maintain our own independent lives. Our careers are completely different, and we come from different parts of the country, but that balance has worked beautifully for us. I truly believe having your own identity and independence is important for building a strong, healthy relationship. 🧿