If you go back to a tiny scene in Friends, Monica has a minor breakdown about the prospect of getting married.
It was completely uncharacteristic of her character who had been ripping pictures of wedding dresses out of magazines since she was a kid and dreamed of her husband even longer.
Monica wasn’t scared of marrying Chandler, she had just realised she would never “fall in love” again. She would never have a “first kiss” again, she would never feel those butterflies that mark the beginning of every new relationship.
She was marrying one man and that was it.
Surprisingly, Chandler didn’t feel the same. He only wanted to be with Monica and no other woman, ever.
Check out our favourite on-screen couples. (Post continues after gallery.)
Our favourite on screen couples.
That feeling of only being with one person for a lifetime was not unique to Monica, and many couples on the verge of marriage have that same haunting thought.
Is this the only person for me, for the rest of my life?
One man, Dale Partridge, has written a stunning post, reducing many people to tears, on the beautiful prospect of being with one person.
But the father of three says you don’t really marry one person; you marry everything they grow and evolve into.
“I fell in love with a 19-year-old rock climber, married a 20-year-old animal lover, started a family with a 24-year-old mother, then built a farm with a 25-year-old homemaker, and today I’m married to a 27-year-old woman of wisdom,” he posted on Facebook.
Dale with his wife. Image via Facebook.
"If your mind is healthy, you’ll never get tired of “one woman”. You’ll actually become overwhelmed with how many beautiful versions of her you get to marry over the years.
"Don’t say no to marriage, say yes and keep saying yes until the day you die."
The post has been shared almost 300,000 times with men from all over the world telling their stories of their wives and partners.
One user wrote, "Been married to the same old gal for nearly 40 years, why in the hell would many one want more than one woman. She has been all I want or need as long as I can remember".
Can a marraige ever be called a failure? We discuss. (Post continues after audio.)
And another commenting, "Dated a 17 year old free spirit, fell in love with a 19 year old trainee accountant , married a independent 21 year old beauty, bought a house with a 22 year old taking on the world, built a home with a 25 year old women going places, journeyed into parent hood with a 26 year old caring, grace filled new mother , added another little girl to the mix with my 28 year old best friend! Here's to many more years Rach."
Top Comments
Nawww - this gave me goose!bumps. So very true though, 20years for us and while he is essentially the same guy, he's also very different, as am I and pretty sure that's the way it's supposed to be, you grow up and old together but hopefully not apart. I couldn't be happier that we chose each other all those years ago.
On 25 May next year, my lovely husband and I will celebrate 49 years of marriage. We don't bear very much resemblance to the pair of 22 year olds who walked down the aisle together all those years ago. We've been through some horrible times, the worst of which was being unable to have our own children. We adopted a son after nine and a half years of trying, culminating in my hysterectomy. We survived that and many other problem: the death of my husband's mother on his 31st birthday, shortage of money, my serious illness and lots of other ups and downs. The gap between us at times was as wide as The Grand Canyon but we never thought of giving up because we knew EVERY marriage goes through bad times, so we stuck with it.
Now in our senior years, we think alike and even know what the other's thinking. We're together 24 hours a day but involved in our own pursuits and life is very comfortable. I'd recommend hanging in there, it certainly is worth the struggle.
We're not famous or special but our love story is ours and it's been an inspiration to many people we've met. When we were newly married, in 1968, I remember seeing the golden wedding congratulatory notices in the paper and not really believing we'd ever see our name there. Couples celebrating their golden wedding are much fewer and further between now but I reeeaaallly hope we make it. Only death can prevent it now.
Congratulations, Joydie. I hope the both of you have a beautiful anniversary.
Wow..what a remarkable journey! Your story is an inspiration to us all ! It looks like you both have everything you ever needed in life - each other ;)
Thank you so much Amanda. There were many times I didn't think we'd get here, but here we are, still laughing and taking the piss out of each other on a daily basis. Persistence and love are the keys.