HOW DID YOU MEET THE ONE?

Last Valentine’s Day, our founder shared her personal story about how she met her wonderful husband, John. This year, we’ve asked some of our favorite ladies to share memories from their best dates, and here’s what they had to say: 

"We met at a party through friends who were trying to set us up but I didn’t give it much thought. We had both married the wrong people in our twenties and we were both divorced. I wasn’t even thinking of getting involved with anyone, much less this 33-yr-old divorcee. He was young and successful, and didn’t have a hard time finding dates; you could say he was a bit of a hot shot. The following Monday, he had his secretary call me to schedule a dinner date. I told her kindly that if he wanted to take me to dinner, he’d better call himself. That was thirty-one years, two kids, beating breast cancer, and five dogs ago. . . and he’s the best thing that ever happened to me!" – Tracy M. 

"We were hanging out in my dorm room when he casually asked if I wanted to go out to dinner that Saturday night. “You mean Valentine’s Day?” I blurted out with excitement. He acted as if he didn’t know that is was Valentine’s Day, but years later he confessed that he had known all along and had even made the reservation—at the most fabulous restaurant in town—a week before he asked me. He was a broke college kid, but he spent every dime he earned that week on dinner and flowers. To this day, he’s the most generous, kind-hearted person I know!" - Julie C.

"It was the late 1970’s and I was home from college on summer vacation. My grandmother was having this huge party and my parents insisted that I go. I met a brainy, talkative young man who had big dreams. He talked all night so excitedly about his plans for the future that he forgot to ask me for my number (a landline in those days). He showed up on my grandmother’s doorstep by noon the next day with a dozen roses hoping that I’d be there or that he’d get my address. My grandmother thought the flowers were for her and he was too polite to correct the record. Later that afternoon, he showed up to the right house with another bouquet of roses. We’ve never looked back . . . and we still haven’t stopped talking!" – Karen B.  

"It was during WW2 and I was engaged to a young man who was not my true love, but I thought I could grow to love him. It was different in those days, you see. There were so many young soldiers stationed in our small town, and one night I was out at a dance when in walked the most captivating man I’d ever seen. Somehow, we got together and danced all night. Within the month I broke off my other engagement and married him. The war separated us for a few years when he was in a Japanese prisoners of war camp. I didn’t know if he was dead or alive, but I kept waiting. The day he came home was the best day of my life, and I’m nearly 100 years old! Can you imagine? I have no regrets." – Mary W.

"I was doing the online dating thing, but nothing really took. I was out having drinks downtown after work one summer evening when I met this guy through coworkers. He asked for my number. He seemed nice on paper, but I was a bit jaded from the Boston dating scene, so I didn’t have high expectations . . . or any expectations at all! But he called and we went out for drinks, then dinner, then dinner again, and for our fourth date, I invited him over for a home-cooked meal at my place. I was really starting to like hima lot! In my coat closet was my sister’s wedding gown, and he asked me why I had a wedding dress. I decided to mess with him a little and pretended that I was divorced and that it was my dress from my first marriage. He got quiet and actually seemed sad, so I kept the prank going and pressed him to tell me what was wrong. He said so despondently and sweetly that he wanted to be the first and only man to marry me. I was stunned and over-the-moon happy! We got engaged a few months later, and to this day, I still love playing little pranks on him!" – Elizabeth F.