I saw him playing football “tackle” and “fumble” with his 18-month-old nephew for the first time.

—S

Postscript: We’ve been dating for a year, and it’s going really well.

3

I decided that I would wear a zebra cowboy hat and bring 20 balloons with me to my friend’s 21st birthday party. As I was walking to the party, she yelled from her fifth-story window “Hey, you with the balloons! Can I have one?” I told her she could have one only if she came down and talked to me.

—Balloon Boy

Postscript: I got her to come to the party with me, and we have been dating ever since.

5

One of my fraternity brothers was interested in her, and I promised him I wouldn’t interfere. Rather surreptitiously, I rationalized that as not initiating any romance with her. So when she started flirting, how could I resist?

—Casey

Postscript: We’ve been dating for two years and three months, and we’re happier than ever. It took a while, but eventually the fraternity brother and I stopped exchanging feral glances—I think.

3

One night it was clear and snowing, and we went outside. After what I was expecting to be a nice walk in the snow, we came back freezing and soaked from the tackling and snowball fights. I realized how fun he was and that he wasn’t going to hold back from me.

—Jenny

Postscript: More than a year later, we’re still together and we still play in the snow.

3

He made me a mix CD for my birthday, the second of which we’d shared together. I don’t cry over sappy songs or romantic movies, but as I listened to this CD on my way home from work the next day I was sobbing hysterically.

—Emotional

Postscript: I look forward to spending the rest of my life with him

5

She brought me M&M’s while I was building my brother’s house. They fell down into the unfinished basement onto a pile of rocks, and I jumped down to pick them up. I had to get a ladder to climb back out.

—Alex

Postscript: Married for 26 years.

4

When we were together, I felt like “I love you” would slip out of my mouth at any moment. I tried to hold myself back and wait for the perfect moment. Turned out, we didn’t need a perfect moment. We just said it one night while saying goodbye.

—Marissa

Postscript: We’ve been dating for four-and-a-half years, and we’re as happy as ever.

3