When Don and I were a couple in the early-to-mid 70s, we were also good friends. We were in our 20s, sassy, vibrant and enjoying our youth. Our relationship was strong, yet we parted, on good terms, after nearly five years, and both of us moved on with our lives, each of us going through many joyful and sorrowful experiences. Even though we were separated by distance and other responsibilities, we still kept in touch on our birthdays. 

Fast forward to just after my late spouse passed away in 2017, Don and I communicated via text and Facebook and occasionally through video messenger. Thanks to technology, he became a welcome constant I enjoyed and a comfort when I needed him. 

Last year, our long-term friendship and interaction became more important than we realized, and the words we shared were more intimate and insightful than we could ever know. We were now living 168 miles apart, he in Illinois and I in Michigan, but the distance was not relevant because we realized we still loved one another. 

I invited him up to visit for a weekend. That afternoon, when I opened my front door and there he stood, it was clearly evident that we hadn't stood before each other in 26 years! We were now in our late 60s. Clearly, our appearances had changed. I was wider in the hips with streaks of gray in my hair. He had a silvery beard with crinkles at the corners of his eyes when he smiled. Within minutes, we knew our love had endured and we would never forgo any future opportunities to enjoy whatever years we had left together. 

Great thing was, he said I was just as beautiful now as I was back in the 70s. Thanks to a great skin-care system, Boom products have made me retain my youthful complexion and it paid off!—Anonymous

My love story began almost 52 years ago. I was born in 1969 to a young 17-year-old mom, and she was still living with her parents (my biological grandparents). I grew up with my grandma looking after me as my birth mom. When I was two, my grandparents adopted me as their own. I didn’t find this out until I was 11, so I grew up thinking my aunts and uncles were my sisters and brothers, including my biological mom. I grew up thinking she was my sister. 

I’m very thankful for my grandparents adopting me and keeping me in the family. My grandma-mom and grandpa-dad lived with me and my husband in their own suite, helping me raise my children when I had to go to work. My grandpa-dad has passed and my grandma-mom is still living with me. Now I look after her. She is 84 and is on kidney dialysis, but I love her more than anything. Right around the time when I was born she was actually thinking of divorce, but they stayed together for my sake. She sacrificed so much for me, and I love her with all my heart. They say the love between a mother and a child is the purest love… even if it’s a grandma-mom.—Anonymous

How do I describe my best friend? We met in labor 40+ years ago. Our children were born five minutes apart, and we have been best friends since then!

She is the bravest person I know. She is in the hospital again, she has just finished her cancer treatment. I believe this is the sixth time and she has been hospitalized again! Please send prayers as this was her surprise when she got home!

She is so beautiful inside and out. I pray God will bless her and keep her here longer.—Kim Moyer

I was 18 years old, it was 1962. I met my dear husband on a blind date, arranged by his cousin. Pete was 22 and home on leave from the Navy for 20 days. We almost didn't meet as he was riding a motorcycle and got chased by a dog. Trying to push it away with his foot, the bike fell. He showed up for the date two hours late, his jeans were torn and his knee bloodied. He was very handsome and obviously attracted to me. 

We wound up going to a drive-in movie. He talked most of the evening about his career, his family and his adventures. The evening ended with a warm, passionate kiss. We spent as much time together as we could. I was living in Kansas City at the time, and we spoke about me possibly moving to California, where he was stationed, to get to know each other first. 

Well, when he told his mom, being old-fashioned, she suggested to her son it would not be a good idea to take a young lady across the state line unless they were married. The next day he told me he was falling in love with me and wanted to marry me. I said yes, and we were married four days before his leave would end. 

I was married to this amazing man for 51 years until he passed away from a sudden illness in 2013. As I reflect back on our life together and the many precious memories we shared, I realize just how lucky I was. We raised three children. They blessed us with five beautiful grandchildren. Although he sadly never got to meet them, we were blessed with five great-grandchildren. He is laid to rest at the Miramar National Cemetery. I am blessed with having a great relationship with my family. I believe in my heart our love story was meant to be, and my love for him will never end.—Bernadette Gonzalez

I met the love of my life through our love of music. We knew each other from various musical events that we attended or participated in, but also had other coincidental encounters at various other events around town. We then decided to collaborate with our music and after the first evening of jamming, we knew we had something special, both musically and romantically. 

Unfortunately, five days after our first date, I received devastating news about my mother’s health which would require her to move in with me and for me to be her full-time caregiver. Although I told him that I would not be able to put much, if any, time into dating or developing a relationship, he said that he would wait and would be there for me no matter what I needed. 

Well, he turned out to be my absolute rock, and I would not have gotten through the next three months until my mom’s passing without him. He and my mom bonded very quickly and he would come over and entertain her by playing music if I had to be out for an evening. She adored him and she knew that I would be in good hands with him when she left, so I think that gave her comfort. 

After my mom got to be too weak to be at home, she had to go into hospice where she was quickly declining. One night, it was my love’s birthday, so even though I didn’t think she was coherent enough to understand, I told her that I would be taking him out for dinner for his birthday and would be back after. With all of her might, she mumbled, “Tell Mike, ‘Happy Birthday.’” 

When I checked in after dinner, I was told that she was resting comfortably and peacefully as she had been quite restless before. I decided to wait until the morning to go back to see her. Unfortunately, she passed that night so her birthday wish was her last words. In the middle of the night, my love went with me to see my mom for the last time, to kiss her goodbye and collect all of her things. When he had a moment alone with her, he told her that he would look after me. 

This amazing, loving, kind-hearted man did all of this for me after only dating for three months, during the hardest time of my life. Who does that? My guy did! We are each other’s person. I have never met anyone that is so perfect for me in every way and I adore him. We have been together for 1 1/2 years now and are extremely happy. We feel so blessed to have found each other... finally!—Theresa

I was first married at the tender age of 19. We were married for 16 years and had two beautiful children. Unfortunately, my husband was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. He committed suicide when our children were 11 and 13. 

The following year, I bought my first computer. PCs were pretty new for home use. After work, I would get on and explore. Those were the dial-up days, and I would get on via America Online. One evening, I discovered chat rooms. At the time, I was in my mid 30s. I was reading what was said in the over-30 chat room, and it seemed immature, so I went to over-40. 

Suddenly, an instant message popped up. I had no idea what it was! It said, “Hi! I was reading your profile, and it seems we have a lot in common… palm trees, beaches… By the way, what does your screen name mean?” I responded, and we ended up chatting for an hour! We continued meeting online to chat and getting to know each other. This was not a common way to meet back then. This was in 1995. 

He was an officer in the military at the time. He planned to take leave that fall. I invited him to come meet me. We were engaged in January the following year. We celebrate our 25th anniversary in April of this year. Life has been a happy adventure! I’m blessed, as is our family, which now includes six grandchildren!—Debbie Alderson

In college, I worked for a facility that was moving individuals out of the state hospitals and into the community. One day, I was called in to help give showers. I have never done this and as such was unaware shower chairs had breaks.

As I was showering a woman, the wheel slid into the drain and the chair started to fall. I screamed for help, and in ran my future husband! We love telling people the first time we met we were in the shower with a naked woman between us! 

It has been 31 years, and we still say that day truly set the stage for our life together!—Nancy Stone

First, I must acknowledge that I'm a Boom Ambassador. I owe my beauty image to the pro-age philosophy of Cindy Joseph and her products. But I also subscribe to my own mantra, Beauty From The Inside Out, nourishing my Body, Mind, and Spirit. 

I deeply fell in love with a young man at age 20. We lived together for six years before we got married. We were together for a total of 47 years. But what neither of us knew at the time was that he had PTSD, a term that wasn't even around during our first 10 years. I thought his over-drinking and blackouts were because we were in our 20s. 

Through the years, his self-medication with drugs and alcohol and drugs increased steadily. I didn't realize it for a long time. I became a people-pleasing codependent and had put aside that vibrant 20-year-old girl. There's a huge story that doesn't need to be told here. 

When everything escalated and the world felt like it was falling down around me, I was introduced to a mentor and began my hero's journey and transformation. I rediscovered my own inner power. My now-late husband went deeper into his dark night of the soul, diagnosed with alcoholic dementia and double heart disease. I was growing stronger as he declined. 

With lots of work and coaching through all of the emotions, I found that my broken heart had broken open. I was ready to receive, no longer give, give, giving. And here's the best news: I have been more than blessed to fall in love again, something I wasn't looking for. I'm in a late-in-life relationship that is extremely rewarding. And I give kudos to BOOM! by Cindy Joseph cosmetics for helping me look and feel my best, projecting inner beauty in the best way possible. Yes, life gets better and more interesting with every passing year!—Sandy Evenson

When I was going through a really tough point in my life, I found someone from my past who changed the road I was on. 

Roger and I first met in fourth grade. Then I moved, and we met again our freshman year of high school. He ended up going to a different school, but we ran into each other from time to time. My 15-year-old heart had an instant crush, but he had a lot going on, and I don't think he really noticed me. 

Moving ahead 24 years, I sent him a Facebook message, after I saw him via another old friend, that simply said, "Remember me?" He responded, "Yes." We discovered that our lives mirrored each other, despite the fact that we had not spoken in so many years. 

Two weeks later, I moved 3,000 miles across the country to be with him. He reminded me who I am. I needed that more than anything. But most of all,

he loves me

. And he tells me so each and every day. As we near our 11th anniversary, I wonder—how is it possible to love someone more and more every time you see them and to be this happy?—Lorelei

July 25, 1987: the day we promised each other love through joy and in sorrow, for better or for worse. My love Lee and I have been married 33 years. He is still my lover, best friend, spiritual helpmate and adventure partner. 

We have had wonderful years together and we have entered a season of winter… the season of “worse.” But our love continues to grow as I have become a caregiver. My husband developed glioblastoma, a terminal brain cancer, in September 2019. I have watched him brave the storms of four craniotomies. 

Gradually, glioblastoma has taken his mobility and critical thinking. He has always been a worker: building, doing, serving others. Now, it is time to sit back and enjoy someone doing for

him

. So really, this season of “worse” still has its beauty… like snow on a winter day. It’s a joy to be able to give to the man I love so much.—P. Jimison

Do you feel the love? 

We certainly do. 

Please drop a comment below to join us in thanking these Boom women for sharing their beautiful love stories. 

Do you have a love story to tell? Share your story in the comments below and we might feature it in our next “love stories” post!