The moment I knew I couldn’t live without him

SOME people know from the moment they meet someone that this is the one. For others, it may take more time and getting to know the person before this realisation comes. And still for others, it is that one act of chivalry or act of unselfishness that makes it clear this is the person they want for the rest of their lives.

When did you know you had found the one?

Marian S, married one year:

A week after I met my current husband I became upset because he hadn’t called me for four days after our first date. He told me that his previous girlfriends didn’t have an issue with him not calling them regularly. Usually if a man did not call me it would have no impact on me at all. So that was when I realised I couldn’t live without him. Since that time he would call me to tell me how he was doing and when he was running late for our dates, because I would go crazy if I didn’t hear from him. It helped to assure me that he was OK.

Sharon S, married three years:

I am married, but I had this friend for about three years before I met my husband. When I got married we decided to stay platonic friends. That didn’t work out, and so we rekindled the romantic relationship months later. We have always been the best of friends and the best of lovers, only he had his own life. One day we had an argument and he stopped talking to me. That went on for three months. During that time I could not sleep, I had no appetite, I had to force myself to function at work and at times I felt as if I was literally going to suffocate — I couldn’t breathe. I just wanted to lock myself away and be by myself. I lost about 10 lbs during that time. That was when I realised that marriage or not, there was no way I could live without this person. It would literally kill me. The pain was more than I could take.

Jenny M, in a relationship five years:

When I moved out of my mother’s house and moved in with him, that was when I realised there was no way I could live without him. Even though I was working and in a relatively good job, being with him made everything so much easier. And he was so attentive and caring. He was the best — and still is the best man I ever met.

Shauna P, in a relationship 10 years:

When he went away to New York for six months. Those were the longest and worst six months of my life! I kept my phone beside me, I slept with it, I really missed him and realised without a doubt that I was more in love with him than I had cared to admit before. We have been together for 10 years and I can’t see myself without him at all.

Tameka R, in a relationship seven years:

When I found out that he cheated on me and I was about to lose him, that’s when I literally had a panic attack and realised I could not live without him. For those few weeks after I found out I realised that my life was centred on this man. So instead of chasing him away or cursing over what he did, I did everything to make things right between us. I just could not give him up.