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Love Stories

People have discovered that the happy couples they know all have these 25 things in common

"When I’m around them I am with a solid unit, not two separate islands."

Image via Canva

People share the healthy relationship behaviors they see in healthy couples.

Romantic relationships that last a lifetime are built different, and truly happy (and healthy) couples are obvious to those around them.

It's why TurnoverEmotional249 posed this question on Reddit discussing relationships: "What do all the happy long-term couples you know have in common?"

Happy long-term couples clearly have fostered healthy relationships and hold wisdom that can help others create the same relationship success. These are 25 things they nail when it comes to love, according to those who have witnessed it.

the notebook, love, healthy relationship, happy couple, happy couples the notebook GIF Giphy

"They like each other." —RomulaFour

"Perhaps even more importantly, they want to like each other. The failed marriages I've observed often involve one or both partners playing snake in the grass 'gotcha' games of passive-aggressive contempt. The benefit of the doubt is essential to useful communication and goodwill." —uzQP

"There was a point, 10-15 years ago, when I realized I was looking for reasons to be angry with my spouse so I could feel self-righteous for putting up with 'all her crap'. When I realized what I was doing I was appalled. But realizing it was a step in my next phase of growing up. We’ll be married 36 years in April and we’re closer than we’ve ever been." —porkchop_d_down

- YouTube www.youtube.com

"My brother and his wife were high school sweet hearts and got married their senior year. He's 65. He's the strong, silent type and she's the social butterfly. When I think about them, I think about teamwork. So, maybe that's it. They do everything together." —Sherry0406

"I'm going to throw out one that several people have touched on, but not explicitly: Happy couples don't keep score. I can't tell you how many times I've heard couples saying things like, 'I watched the kids for 40 minutes while you were running, but only got to play guitar for 35 minutes… so you owe me 5 minutes.' And that, ladies and gentlemen, is when you run… because the end is coming. I'm not saying fairness is not important, but needs are not always equally distributed. I stayed home with our kids for years, working at night, because I had the mental and physical bandwidth to do it. If I had been keeping score back then we would not still be married after all these years." —WaitingForEmacs

"My husband and I were married 47 years when he passed. We joked that it was because we never both wanted a divorce on the same day. Now that I’m alone, I see where our love made each of us a better person. And we both knew that all along." —olauntsal

humor, laughing, laughing couple, couple laughing, happy couple Couple Laughing GIF by Gogglebox Australia Giphy

"My parents ( married 64 years) shared some interests but also had their own. They loved spending time together but enjoyed their time apart. They were definitely a couple but respected each other’s differences. They also use to joke ( I think) about how they stayed together because neither of them wanted the children!!" —jlhinthecountry

"Couples who share the same realistic goals learn to correct each other when veering off the path forward. It's ok to gnaw on each other but reserve bites for very serious issues. I have very little in common with my wife but somehow we have built a beautiful life together since we met in 1982." —WokeUp2

"My grandmother had a love story I envy. She was divorced and met her soul mate at 55. They enjoyed life so much by just doing things together, nothing fancy puzzles, senior citizen activities, etc. They genuinely enjoyed each others company and were always on the go. At 83 my step grandfather died and that same year my grandmother was diagnosed with terminal cancer. She said that god took him first to spare him the pain of watching her die." —User Unknown

happy couple, teamwork, together, love, happy couples Season 2 Good Job GIF by The Office Giphy

"They’re genuinely partners. They like each other and look forward to conversations with each other. When I’m around them I am with a solid unit, not two separate islands." —hellospheredo

"Married 30 years here. I think we’re 'happy' because we understand that we’re not always going to be happy. We’re going to argue, disagree, and feel irritable sometimes, but we know this, and therefore keep chugging along. After all this time, we apologize within a very short amount of time after a tiff. That makes me happy, that we can continually move forward together so quickly like that. The majority of the time, we thoroughly enjoy life together. We might be happy but we’re also human. I could make a long list of all the happy things about our relationship but wanted to be transparent, too. So, that’s my take. 😊" —Relative_Wishbone_51

"Their primary focus is the relationship. They turn towards each other, they treat each other with respect, as equals, and they don't let outside influences affect their marriage. They make it a point to have fun together. They are, with one or two exceptions, from stable two parent homes." —VicePrincipalNero

"Selflessness. Great couples are ones where both people think of the others need and desires above themselves. The key here is both." —OldAndOldSchool

faults, not perfect, happy couple, relationship goals, truth Im Not Perfect Amazon Studios GIF by Amazon Prime Video Giphy

"Sense of humor about themselves and their faults." —mama146

"They forgive each other quickly. They reconcile and have short memories." —Tariq_Epstein

"Each person in the couple has their own friends, support system, hobbies and interests outside of the relationship. They are not codependent on their partner and do not rely on their partner for ALL of their emotional needs." —User Unknown

"They disagree well, to the point that they can both say what they think knowing that if the other person disagrees it's perfectly ok, so it just sounds like a conversation." —ButterPotatoHead

agree to disagree, happy couple, good communication, conflict resolution, happy couples Agree To Disagree Season 7 GIF by Outlander Giphy

"They respected their vows, even when they didn’t like each other. They would seek advice and assistance from other long married couples (in our case, we looked to our grandparents ) and marriage counselors when necessary. If they had children, they were on the same page with each other about discipline, etc. And finally, off the top of my head, and I don’t love acknowledging this but the happiest long-term couples I know, some gay, some straight, are childless." —sodiumbigolli

"They are friends with realistic expectations of each other. And they enjoy hanging out together but are also content with time apart." —edzeusky

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You can buy curses, potions, and spells on Etsy now.

Unrequited love—we've all been there, right? Rejection sucks, even when it's self-rejection in the form of being too afraid to tell someone you have feelings for them. It hurts to keep it inside, and it hurts to get shot down. If only there was a better way!

Some people believe that there might be. While it may not be possible to just snap your fingers and make someone fall in love with you, potions, spells, and other forms of witchcraft promise to bring you basically the same result. What's great is that, in 2025, you can hire a witch to do your romantic bidding on the Internet from the comfort of your own home!

One woman recently decided to take a chance on a magical love spell, and got way more than she bargained for.

Yes, it sounds like the opening backstory montage of a Disney movie, but this one takes place in our very real world. A TikTok user named Corinne recently shared the embarrassing story of witchcraft gone wrong in a thirteen second video clip. Previously, she had decided to pony up a few bucks for a "love spell" on her crush.

A similar product description from a different seller on Etsy describes it like this: "Dive into the deepest, most powerful realms of black magic with this LOVE OBSESSION Spell, designed to create an unbreakable bond of passion, obsession, and undying love. This is not just any love spell; it’s an advanced black magic voodoo ritual, tailored to ignite intense passion and force someone to obsess over you—an emotional, irresistible connection that can't be broken."

As of this writing, the spell costs an eyebrow-raising $66.

But people have certainly done crazier things for love! Unfortunately, once Corrine's order was processed, the seller turned out to be a bit of a backstabber.

“Guys the Etsy witch told on me,” she said in the social media video, clearly upset and humiliated. “I said the guy’s name, his birthday and stuff, and she literally DM’d him on Instagram and exposed me.”

"So much for supporting small businesses" she added in the video's caption.

@andtheg4gis

So much for supporting small businesses 😭 #etsywitch #lovespell #fyp #foryou

The video quickly went viral to the tune of two million views. Commenters were furious on Corrine's behalf.

Whether or not you believe in the occult, it's pretty screwed up to out someone like that, right? One user called the betrayal a HIPPA violation:

"AW NAH THAT'S A WIPPA VIOLATION," one joked.

"Genuinely like report that to Etsy that's so crazy"

"u better have disputed that charge babe"

"Imagine getting a 'hey girly' text from a witch"

"oh baby you gotta tell the elder witches"

Probably the best advice was for Corrine to own up to the whole thing with an outrageous level of confidence:

"GIRL DOUBLE DOWNN!! dm him n say 'did it work?'"

"Did it work" is such an amazing line, I'm mad I didn't think of it."

witches, witchcraft, love, love spells, love potion, relationships, dating, romance, women, girls, internet, tiktok, funnyJust your basic witch supplies. Photo by Content Pixie on Unsplash

The whole wild story brings up so many questions. For starters, is it ethical for psychics and witches to perform these "services" for money?

Witches have become super popular on Etsy, but that doesn't mean that everything is on the up-and-up. There's quite a bit of evidence that psychic powers and witchcraft aren't real and can not be verified by science. So there's been fierce debate for years over whether people should actually be allowed to sell psychic/witch services. Isn't the entire industry inherently misleading? Does it exist to prey on vulnerable people who are desperate for good news or a positive outcome in their life Then again, maybe it's not all about the outcome. Maybe believing in an unexplained power and using it for selfish reasons can be cathartic. Just ask all the people spending their hard-earned money paying Etsy witches to "curse" certain hated political and public figures.

If we assume all parties know that a "love spell" won't actually work — what's the harm in ritualistically throwing yourself at the mercy of the universe and asking for a break? Even if it costs a couple of bucks?

Jeffrey Moriarty, a professor of philosophy at Bentley University, argues in a paper that psychic services should be allowed for sale provided customers are not being lied to or mislead, "even though much of the money spent on them will be money wasted."

If we assume that certain parties really do believe a love spell will work and "make" a person fall in love with them... well, that brings up even more ethical questions, doesn't it? Consent, free will. It's an extremely messy witches brew, that's for sure.

As for Corrine, her story has a happy ending. After getting a deluge of viral fame and advice, she decided to perform a love ritual herself!

People encouraged her to take matters into her own hands, so she did.


@andtheg4gis

UPDATE!! I sooo have my man back (that is, if he doesn’t look down😭) #etsywitch #lovespell #update #fyp #foryou #foryoupage

"I wrote his name on the bottom of my foot," she says in an update a few days later. "Dipped it in a jar of manuka honey. Literally 20 minutes later he texted me asking what I was doing tonight. So now I'm going over."

All's well that ends well. But the lesson is to never trust a witch unless they've got a perfect five-star Etsy rating. Otherwise? You're better off performing your own spells.

People are sharing their unexpected romantic moments.

Heartbreak can turn people off of the idea of romance, but even the most cynical among us can't help but smile at a genuine love story. And as it turns out, the most romantic moments often aren't the fancy, candlelight dinners or the view from the highest floor or the sunset walk on the beach. Often, the sweetest and most memorable moments aren't the ones you plan, but rather when something silly or accidental or unexpected happens.

That's why when someone asked, "What's an oddly romantic thing that's happened to you on a date?" people's responses had people swooning.

The initial response to the question read, "Was on a date with a guy and we kissed and his watch started beep[ing] really loud and we looked down and it said 'abnormal heart rate detected' lol." That story prompted people to start sharing their own unique romantic moments.

Pulse goes up. Pulse goes down.

"Was dating my now-wife and she had some medical issue that took her to the ER. She’s hooked up to the monitor and I’m sitting at the side of the bed facing all the machines. I notice that when I hold her hand her pulse goes up and when I let go it goes down.

This leads me to laugh a bit and, when she asks, explain how 'Pulse goes up, Pulse goes down!' by holding her hand. She blushes adorably and I kiss her and it’s all cute. It became a cute little thing I tease her about.

Years later and the situation is reversed—I’m in the ER and she’s come in to visit me. I’m sitting in bed talking to her when she suddenly gets sad and pouty.

romantic stories, pulse, heartrate, love stories, love"Pulse goes pp, Pulse goes sown."Photo credit: Canva

I ask what’s wrong and she says how she was watching the monitor and testing “Pulse goes up!” but my pulse goes down when she holds my hand.

I say 'Of course it does. I’m always on, always active. My mind is constantly racing - Never off. The only time I feel safe and comfortable enough that my entire mind and body can actually slow down is when I’m with you.' She teared up."

We’re married and we still tease each other about “Pulse Goes Up, Pulse Goes Down!”

Oops, I forgot my sleeping bag…

"First 'date' was a weekend hiking/camping trip. We had been friends for a very long time, but we had both been in other relationships most of the time until that point, and we clearly had the hots for each other (I say this because I don't recommend people to go on a first date as a camping trip if you don't know the person well lmao).

romantic dates, hiking, camping, first date, couplesImagine a forgotten sleeping bag bringing you together.Photo credit: Canva

The first night it stormed terribly, and I legitimately had completely forgotten my sleeping bag like a moron and was freezing. She shared her sleeping bag with me and we cuddled for warmth.

We've been married for six—seven years now. Looking back, I always tell people I was playing 4D chess when in reality I was just a f__ing idiot who didn't bring his sleeping bag on a camping trip lmao. She knows the dark truth and still married me. She's a keeper."

"Have beautiful babies."

"The first time my husband and I went on a walk together, it was the DAY we met so we definitely weren’t dating yet but we were definitely vibing with each other and flirting. This homeless guy stopped us while we’re walking and asked for money. We give him some cash, and as he’s leaving he shouts 'I HOPE YALL HAVE SOME BEAUTIFUL BABIES!' 😭😭 It was awkward for the rest of the walk lmaooo, but we did in fact have some beautiful babies, and more to come lol."

aww, gif, couples, dates, love storiesTv Land Awww GIF by Throwing ShadeGiphy

Tiny footprints

"The first time I ever picked up my wife in my car she drew little feet using the palm of her hands on my passenger window. For the next few weeks during winter whenever I started my car the frost would melt slowly revealing the tiny footprints hidden beneath. Simply reminded me of her every time and it put a big dumb grin on my face."

Bloody kisses

"Lol reminds me of when my husband and I were dating long distance. I went to visit him one day after a few months apart, we kissed in greeting then he reeled back in horror because I had blood all over my face. Turns out HE had gotten a nosebleed like a damn anime character. ❤️"

kiss, long distance, love, couples, cute, nosebleedsAnime nosebleed Giphy

Spontaneous snack bar stop

"We were walking through downtown, talking and having a blast when he suddenly disappeared. After a couple of minutes he reappeared and it turns out he rushed into a snack bar. The day before I had been talking about how my favourite candy bar was being stocked less and less in the Netherlands and he saw some in the glass display and rushed in to buy me one. I almost swooned."

A simple touch

"First date, we went to dinner + a movie on Valentine's Day. I left my lights on, so I had to call CAA to get a jump. It was -20 so we had to snuggle up tight to preserve bodily warmth. When we parted, she reached out and touched my face, and I just about died.. I always felt I was very ugly, and to have her accept my face just broke my heart (in a good way.)

Married now, and I look back on my bonehead maneuver on that first date as having been essential. She needed to know what she was getting into..."

romantic moments, odd love stories, romcom, sweet love stories"All to yourselves, just as your requested…"Photo credit: Canva

"Per your request, sir"

"On the first date with my wife we went to see a movie together and have dinner. The theater was empty, the kid walking through before the show started, looked right at me and said 'All to yourselves, just as you requested' and gave me a wink.

We both laughed after he left."

All-in on the cheesy romcom moments—but not really

"First date I ever had with my now husband. We went ice skating at PPG place around the Christmas tree and then took the incline up to look at the skyline. I’m from the Pittsburgh area and he is from Southern WV. He came up early from Thanksgiving break when we were in undergrad and grad school respectively at WVU. He was all in on the cheesy rom-com moments and made me feel like a Princess.

Turns out not only does he hate ice skating, he is afraid of heights, and also a die hard Cincinnati Bengals fan who didn’t even flip off Heinz field once. This man did a slew of things he hated and never complained or whined because he could tell I was having so much fun. I am incredibly lucky to have him and I’ve never made him ice skate again."

Here's to those surprising romantic moments that form some of our sweetest memories with our loved ones.

Pop Culture

People agree these 19 things are weirdly romanticized, but are actually huge red flags

"The idea of someone cheating on their spouse to pursue you. How is that romantic? Please be serious."

One person's romantic is another person's cringe.

We all love a good love story. The grand gestures, the unbridled spontaneity, and those "against all odds” moments that give relationships a dose of movie magic are everything. But, sometimes, the things we’ve been taught to swoon over—whether that be due to pop culture or more overarching societal trends—are actually pretty toxic when you stop to think about them.

Recently, someone asked folks to share their own examples of behaviors that are “weirdly romanticized” but are actually major red flags once you look past the glossy surface, and honestly, it’s eye-opening.

Here are some of the most surprising (and perhaps unsettling) examples they shared. One major category belonged to those tropes we see in many, many television shows, movies, and even songs…

1. "Having someone who is completely obsessed with you."

dating, modern dating, dating apps, romance, romance tips, relationships, relationship red flags, relationship green flagsmedia1.giphy.com

2. "Enemies to lovers. It's cute in theory, but how can you be with someone when you know all the disgusting things they've said about you before your relationship?"

3. "I used to love the 'asshole-to-everyone-except-you' trope until he started being an asshole to my friends. Some tropes are meant to stay fictional."

4. "The 'I'm just a girl' trend and other TikTok trends that are used to deflect any accountability or responsibility as an adult human being."

dating, modern dating, dating apps, romance, romance tips, relationships, relationship red flags, relationship green flagsmedia4.giphy.com

5. "The idea of someone cheating on their spouse to pursue you. How is that romantic? Please be serious."

6. "Pressuring someone to hurry up and put a ring on it."

Two people brought differing, yet equally important views on work/love life balance.

7. "Sacrificing your professional or personal life to pursue someone."

8. "Honestly, I think we conflate hard work with unhealthy boundaries between the self and career, and we romanticize working overtime, long shifts, and doing excessive tasks as a display of personal growth. We've manipulated ourselves into feeling that giving our time to pursue our work is noble. I'm saying this as a student in medicine, where hours are absolutely wild. I know I'll work my hardest, but I won't sacrifice my sense of self and my time to eke out my own passions and life just to get ahead in my career track. At least, I hope I don't lose sight of myself in the pursuit of following my dreams. It can be really hard not to notice that that's where you're headed until you've already sacrificed so much."

How folks handle—or don’t handle—conflict also was a major red flag.

9. "Not being confrontational. Needless confrontation is bad, but sometimes, you do need to confront someone."

10. "Fighting all the time. No, it doesn't mean that your relationship is 'passionate.' It means that you're probably incompatible and shouldn't be together."

dating, modern dating, dating apps, romance, romance tips, relationships, relationship red flags, relationship green flagsmedia.giphy.com

Finally, this category belongs to things that many people think often carry a hidden warning, even if they seem workable, even harmless, at first.

11. "I knew a girl whose boyfriend went everywhere with her. He wouldn't let her go anywhere if he weren't there, and she thought it was cute how 'possessive' he was over her. It thoroughly icked me out when she told me. Like, that is not healthy at all."

12. "Being a 'free spirit.' Like, there's a gray area, but there's a time and place to be inhibited and misbehave. Not following rules in public settings because you're 'free' gets old really fast."

13. "Being the charismatic 'heavy drinker' in friend groups. Goes for men and women."

14. "When people say things like, 'He's just broken,' as if it's something romantic. Having pain doesn't justify cruelty, and loving someone shouldn't mean bleeding just to make them feel whole."

15. "People who brag about not being interested in reading or learning. Here in the US, there is a huge anti-curiosity or anti-intellect movement, and people will literally brag about being ignorant."

16. "Being over controlling. My coworker thinks it's adorable when they say stuff like, 'My husband would kill me if I got a tattoo there!' Gross. Sorry that your husband is so fragile."

17. "People who constantly post about their partner. It's not romantic, it's performative. Real love doesn't need a PR campaign."

18. "'Traditional values.'"

dating, modern dating, dating apps, romance, romance tips, relationships, relationship red flags, relationship green flagsmedia3.giphy.com

Lastly, perhaps the oldest red flag in the book…

19. "The idea that playing games or being 'hard to get' in a cruel way will make their crush or interest want them more."

Note the one gesture that no one mentioned as un-romantic: flowers. Just sayin'.