My friend gave me the idea for this post, and I am pretty in love with the results. I reached out to four couples and had them share their story of how they knew they had found the one. In reading them, and also in thinking of my own story, we all kind of said the same exact thing. We just knew. And we all know how hard it is to explain to someone who hasn’t had this feeling, what it’s like. But maybe these stories will give you a good idea. When you hear someone say it’s like someone hits you over the head with a sledgehammer, it really is true. It’s the most powerful feeling you will ever experience. I’m a sucker for love and romance, so I’ll start with my own:

Tara and Justin:
I met Justin in a bar. A totally random place to meet your one and only. And I’ve written about this before, but honestly, I saw him, and it was like a magnet was pulling me towards him. You know in movies when there is that tunnel vision and you can only focus on one thing and everything else around you disappears… that was how I felt. And I definitely wasn’t looking for anyone when I met Justin. I had just ended a long relationship, and was honestly ready to be single for a while. I had just graduated from college and had spent the summer with my friends, traveling and going out, not looking for anything serious. I went up and talked to Justin and we hit it off immediately. I actually offered to buy him a drink, because that’s the type of gal I am, and he said that really surprised him and he knew I was special. I want to keep these stories short, so I won’t get into too much detail, but after the entire night of talking and dancing, we were saying goodbye, and I was already in my car. I rolled down my window to wave, and he bent down and gave me the sweetest peck on the lips, like we had known each other for years. That was my moment. I knew I wanted to marry him. I told my mom (ask her, seriously) that night, that I had met my husband. She laughed, but it was true. The stats: Dated for 6 weeks before getting engaged (yes, you read that right), engaged for 11 months, now married for 7 years, and we have one beautiful little boy 🙂

Rae Beth and Tim:
Tim and I have actually known each other since the 7^th grade; however the signs were never there until about sometime in early 2007. I had been in another relationship but spending some time with Tim and his friends, as my boyfriend at the time lived further away. I could tell that something was different when spending time with Tim. Despite the signs that were all around me, I decided to move in with said boyfriend, about 1.5 hours south of my hometown. Within a month, I was constantly driving back and forth so I could spend time with my new-found friends, without the boyfriend. The most significant moment to me was Halloween 2007. I was in a friend’s apartment for a Halloween party, knowing Tim was going to be there (obviously, as these were his friends). I heard he arrived and was coming up the stairs, and those butterflies in my stomach, man they were strong! It was then that I knew I was with the wrong guy. It took me about 2 more months to muster up the energy to tell the current boyfriend that it was time for us to move on and I was moving back home.  The day after I moved home was when Tim and I went on our first date (January 19, 2008); we have been inseparable since.

I honestly think I always knew; I just felt a connection with him. When we were talking about the future (and that was pretty early on), we were talking of the exact same thing; and wanted those things with each other. I knew that he meant it. I knew it by the way he treated me, the way he comforted me.  He was always such a gentleman and everything I was hoping for in a significant other. The stats: Dated for 2 years before getting engaged, engaged for 18 months, married for 2 years, and are expecting our first baby, due December 31, 2013. We could not be any happier!

Stephanie and Dan: I was lucky enough to get both of their stories
Steph: We met at Martial Arts class. I was getting ready to begin class and I looked across the room and saw a guy come in and our eyes briefly met. I knew from the moment we looked at each other this was it. He was the one. After 1 year of serious flirting, Dan finally had the courage to ask me out! Of course I said yes!

Dan: I remember already being in class training and saw her out of the corner of my eye. I got excited but went back to training (I was pretty dedicated to training). Don’t remember how or when or how long we did, but we started talking and did the usual flirting and stuff.  Don’t remember the exact day but I think it was some time around Halloween because she still had her hair styled from a costume party or something.  I remember thinking how really good she looked with her hair that way. We were in the corner of the martial art school stretching together and talking and that’s when it hit me, I remember thinking to myself that I could spend the rest of my life with her.  It was a pretty long road after that, I was really shy back then and was afraid to ask her out.  We had a couple of near misses before we finally went out and started dating.  We had a lot of rough times throughout this whole ordeal but I always knew that I would marry her. The stats: Dated for 6 years before getting engaged, engaged for 9 months, married for 8 years, and have 2 beautiful and awesome daughters!

Cindi and Zach: From Zach’s point of view (love to hear the guys!)
Cindi and I have an interesting history. We actually started working with each other 3 years before we started dating. I was a third-party contractor at work and she was our boss on the client’s side. Side note: pretty much defining her role in our relationship as the boss (before I even knew it) 🙂. Anyway, we were pretty good friends for three years. I always knew I had a little crush on her, but never thought it would amount to anything. I was so set that she had no interest that I ignored the signs from her. She started asking me to hang out without any of our mutual friends…and, still, I had no idea. Had I known, I might not have blown her off to hang out with other friends! Who knew I was missing out on once-in-a-lifetime memories! One night we finally hung out, and it all came together. It was like fireworks in the sky!  I am pretty sure I knew from that night that she was the one. But, if I were to be conservative, one night about three months into our relationship it was cemented. We were lying on the couch snuggling. At that moment, I knew that she was the only one for me and that I wanted to be permanently in this surreal moment. So, it just came out, “I love you.” Thankfully, she felt the same way and now, we are destined to live the rest of our lives together! The stats: Dated 2.5 years before getting engaged, currently engaged with a wedding planned for September of 2014, which will make it a 19 month engagement.

Michelle and Domenic:
I was with a wonderful guy before I met Dom, there was nothing wrong with him at all, he just wasn’t the one for me. I met Dom at a mutual friend’s wedding, finding out some strange coincidences. We grew up in the same neighborhood, like literally the house behind me, but I went to Catholic school and he went to public school. He dated a girl who went to Kent and I dated a guy that went to Kent. He dated a girl who went to Point Park, and that is where I went to college! And we both weren’t even supposed to be at that wedding, but I went with a good friend, and Dom’s best friend had invited him to the wedding as a date. We talked at the wedding, but reconnected later thanks to Facebook. Social media strikes again! I don’t know if there was a black and white moment I knew he was the one, but meeting him at that wedding, made me realize I was with the wrong guy, a very strong feeling, that I hadn’t been able to fully grasp until that night. I felt immediately like I could be myself with Dom. I believe everything happens for a reason, and all my paths led me to Dom. The stats: Dated for 2 years before getting engaged, engaged for 2 years, married for 3 months and going strong!

Everybody has their own unique story, but it’s amazing how similar the stories turned out to be. I think what we can all agree upon, is that we can be ourselves with our significant others, and that we felt immediate connections with them for no reason at all, most of us, before we even spoke a single word. I do believe that our hearts have to find their other half, and if we are lucky enough to do that, fate will let us know. Maybe it’s not a moment for you, maybe it’s a feeling that happens over time, but no matter the case, you will know.

I keep singing this lately and it’s a perfect ending for this blog:
Wish that I could stay forever this young
Not afraid to close my eyes
Life’s a game made for everyone
And love is the prize
-Avicii

Love is definitely the prize. We all deserve someone who gives us butterflies, makes us feel like the only person in the room, and completes us. Please share your moments with me. I’d love to hear them!