At the same time, it really, really sucks thinking you found this and then slowly realizing years into it that it’s not going to work because it’s just crushing your soul and there are some fundamental incompatibilities that are just not going to change and you have to get out for the sake of your own sanity and long term happiness, despite how much you want to make it work.

Source: I’m in the terminal phases of that process right now.

Apologies for being a Debbie downer. Just having some pretty rough times right now, and the next couple of weeks are going to absolutely suck, and there’s definitely no way around it but through.

Wife doesn't love me, least not the way I love her. Just had the talk, this post is downright brutal right now.

until you grow old

Really hope they mean "as you grow old".

Ideally yes. This is me and Mrs. Warp Core and I wouldn't change it for the world.

However...

Well, let me put it this way. Ever have a best friend that, after spending a lot of time around, you find out that you actually can't stand more than a few hours at time? That is absolutely a possibility here. Only now their stuff is in your house (or vice-versa), and/or they're on the same lease.

$0.02: It may not always be advisable, but absolutely benchmark the practical aspects of your romance long before tying the knot. Long-term co-habitation is not the only route here. Consider other ways to rack up large blocks of time: getaway vacations, long weekends, or even just "play house" for a few days at a time. You'd be amazed at what horrible, terrible, filthy, obnoxious habits your partner has when "at home." The reality is that everyone is a bit (more) of a mess in private, and the only real question you have to answer is: "what am I willing to put up with?"

This post is going to make some people very sad and some people very happy and I guess I'm here for that. Life is alllll sorts of experiences, good and bad. Just gotta roll with it.

Reminder that you don't need to be married to have this.

I have been married for 24 years and it's been a mostly happy marriage. I also do consider my wife to be my best friend. But it's silly to think that you will come home every day and be happy about dealing with another human, no matter who they are. Sometimes I will come home or my wife will come home and I won't want to be around her because I won't want to be around anyone. That's just how life is. My wife is cool with it and I'm cool with when she wants the same.

Well, one more reason to be sad about being unlovable :/

I've been married to my wife for 2 years, after being in a relationship with her for 6 years. Things weren't always perfectly smooth sailing but we've managed to work things out. We sometimes have communication issues, which we're working on, but at least we understand that it's a weak point and any fights (which are hardly fights) don't last very long.

She is quite literally my best friend, and I am so, so grateful to have her. We spend most of our time outside of work together and we never grow tired of each other. We always help each other out and cheer each other up when one of us has a bad day. Co-op campaign mode is a great way to put it.

I came out to her as trans shortly after we got married, when I suddenly realized how I felt about being the opposite gender. She was very supportive from the beginning, and although she was initially a little nervous when I started hormones, we've grown a lot closer and our love has grown so much stronger since I began to open up and be my authentic self. And for that, I can't be grateful enough. Many couples I've seen where one comes out as trans end up splitting up, for one reason another, so I think I'm extremely lucky to have someone that can see past gender and love me for simply myself.

I'm living that life and we're not even married yet. 5 years since this June. Never been happier :)

This is exactly the relationship my wife and I share. We're each other's best friends, so it's easy to hang out every day. Which is important because we're both not working, so we're around each other 24/7.

So many couples struggled throughout the pandemic because they were actually forced to spend a lot of time together and realized they just didn't care for each others' company as much as they thought. But it had no effect on my relationship with my wife because we already spent almost every moment of our free time together.

And it's not like we do absolutely everything together. There are plenty of days when we're indulging in our own separate hobbies or interests. But we're always close by, so we can chat or share our geeky hobbies with one another.

If you marry someone for looks, status, money, etc., you may find yourself in more of a business relationship than a romantic one, which will struggle as you get older. But finding someone who completely gets you is refreshing. You don't need to put on a mask around them; you can be yourself and be confident that they love you for YOU. And if you truly respect them, you'll also love and appreciate them for being themselves too.

As a recent divorcee: fuck this hurts.

20 years in, it is pretty dope I have to say.

This is exactly my life right now, and it's great.

Can't wait for these comments to be depressing

It's really nice if you got the right person for it. I love my person so much 💓💓💓

It's damn nice, ngl. And I didn't get married until 2013 at almost 40.

It's one of those things worth waiting for, rather than jumping into at first opportunity. Not saying I wouldn't have preferred to have had what I have now sooner, but younger me wouldn't have been ready anyway. I'm just saying that it isn't something to rush for the sake of being married, it's about being good partners, matching well, and that's not something that's guaranteed to happen at any given age.

My [second] wife is the coolest person ever and my best friend. I wouldn't want to be with anyone else. She came into my life when I wasn't even looking.

My first wife was a horrible person who convinced me that I was better off being single. I was perfectly content with that. It is much better to be alone than to be with someone who fills your life with misery.

If you're reading the OP and feeling sad about your own circumstances, I totally get it because I've been there. Bad relationships or the breakdown of a relationship are really hard. You can get through it. Remember to take care of yourself. Prioritize spending time on things that bring you joy. Find someone to talk to, even if it's just some random guy on the Internet. And know that it absolutely can get better.

It's great as long as both parties fully understand the other's "drawbacks" and are prepared to deal with those. Never assume you'll fix somebody with time. Hopefully both parties do grow and improve themselves over the years, but nobody is perfect.

Love is being able to get angry with someone, wanting to resolve it healthily, and then actually moving forward and feeling it was worth it. It can feel like work sometimes, but the work should never feel pointless.

Enjoy it for me, friends. I'm just an NPC.

To those who feel saddened by this, always remember that you can be your own best friend. Treat yourself.

That about sums it up. 10/10 fucking love being married

*"Listen, happy endings is fine if they turn out happy,” said Granny, glaring at the sky. “But you can't make 'em for other people. Like the only way you could make a happy marriage is by cuttin' their heads off as soon as they say 'I do', yes? You can't make happiness…” Granny Weatherwax stared at the distant city.

Are you the same person you were 5 years ago? 10? 20? Do you think you'll be the same in the future? Will your partner also be? The correct answer is no. Marriage takes work to keep working as life takes you through its ups and downs and we evolve and grow as people. Best of luck to you all!

We decided to finally play Jumanji. She had to crawl across the living room and almost broke her knee. Now she is pouting with a cool pack while I boil water to make her tea.

Being single is cool and all. But I never want to go back. I decided this to be my life.

I was head-over-heels in love with my best friend when I was in my late teens/early 20's. We had a short-lived romance. Turned out he was quietly suffering through severe depression and killed himself; it destroyed me for a long time.

However, I made a new best friend. We trauma bonded a bit, as he also went through a deep loss. We've been together for 10 years, 4 of them married. I love him to death. He's my ride or die.

There are so many things couples put blinders on, but it's important to always communicate. I've learned that though it's really hard to express some of your deepest insecurities and feelings, it's better to discuss the things that you're struggling with, because a good partner isn't perfect, yet they will love you, listen to your problems, accept your faults, and help you work on building a life together. Some days you'll carry the heavier load, other days your partner will.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that a happy marriage takes effort from both partners, and even the most perfect couple has work to do. It's important to be open about what's important to you, especially if that changes over time. Everyone hits bumps in the road.

I can't recommend therapy enough. For any reason. Life is worth living. It gets easier, and with the right support you can heal and grow.

The best part is you don't even have to be married to have this

Maybe someday...