Who is in a happy long-term relationship? What's it like?

[Abbi634]

Who is in a happy long-term relationship?

Do you feel content? And loved? What's your favourite thing about your relationship? Is there respect and love?

There's another thread going on called 'why do people stay in unhappy relationships'.

Just wanted to hear about the opposite - i.e. those who have been together a long time, and still bring each other joy.

Thank you.

I'm very sorry for your loss. Sounds like you had a wonderful relationship. May she rest in peace.

Me and DH have been married for 17 years, 18 in July. We are happy. We go out a couple of times a week together. We have the same values and very rarely argue. We take Foster Son to play cricket and enjoy a nice picnic and watch him play. We agree about most things. He brings me tea in bed every single morning. He scrapes the ice off my car windscreen in the winter and makes me a coffee to go when I drive FS to college. I cook him a veggie meal sometimes even though the rest of us like to eat meat. We go for walks together with our dogs in the evening. He looks at me adoringly and is very loving and caring and he makes the best omelette. He always puts me first and has my back. I put him first. We both put FS first. He spoils me by buying me some nice bits of jewellery. He sees and brings out the best in me. We make each other happy.

Your username!
I've just tried to get the full series on DVD as we loved this SO much ( to no avail). My children are 26, 24 and 21. So many memories...RIP Linda Baron, Auntie Mabel.
Our beloved dog for 14 years was named Pippin...

Haven't RTFT. But I will.

DH and I together about 17 years, I think married 14. He's funny and still makes me laugh. He's hot. He thinks of what's best for DD and me all the time but doesn't ignore his own needs. He cleans, he cooks but he also works hard.

We have time together, time apart. I think we're a good team. I'm the emotional heart, he's the body and partly head.

My Dad was one in a million, and he absolutely loved my husband from the start, my husband in turn thought my Dad was fantastic. ( My fil was a waste of space, and my husband said my Dad was more of a Dad to him than his own had been )
So yes, I recognised a good man when I saw him.

Married 18 years - together 20 odd. We have had our moments definitely but ultimately we have each others backs. We laugh a lot together. We kept time just for each other when dd was growing up which I think helped. We have common dreams and values (mostly). Our background was very similar - both Grammar school kids from solid working class families who moved on to professional careers. He's a bit older than me and getting a bit grey and grumpy now but I still love and respect him and feel that this is mutual.

We did and I only wish other people could, I was her primary carer for the last 10 years of her life & could only be in awe of her cheerful nature.
I've tried dating since but I probably expect prospective partners to be as happy and chirpy as she was? Navigating the myriad of human emotions is a real minefield!

Married nearly 50 years. We got married straight out of university. He is my youth, middle age and old age ( I hope). Everything is better and brighter if he is there. Going for walks, galleries, museums are always enjoyable but so much nicer if he is there. We are not perfect and we fall out but I have never contemplated splitting up for a second. Our children and grandchildren feel secure in our love for one another.
Marriage can be hard but I think some couples don't try and work things through. There is huge comfort in being with someone who has known you forever.

Together nearly 25 years with two teenagers. Respect is definitely the basis of our relationship. I really admire his intellect and although we don’t agree on many subjects, we make an effort to debate and respect each others’ views. He’s also a kind person and a very involved father, which are important qualities to me. Some raging passion is also essential, imo, our relationship started that way and is still good. 😜

We both know that there are lines that can’t be crossed and I don’t think it’s a bad thing to know that you’ll be dumped if you behave in a certain way. Being complacent isn’t good!

Been with my husband 10 years married 2 and love him very much. He's part of me! And when I met him it felt like coming home but also like falling on crazy love!
We have fun. And know we can count on each other.
We do irritate each other and argue but I never feel worried that we'll break up.

We have been together for 21 years, married for 15 with 2 children. My parents have been married for 48 years, my grandparents were married for 50 until my nan died, his parents have been married for 39 years so we have had great role models.

We have always had a balanced relationship. He has his own hobbies, as do I. As long as the children are sorted and we have the money, there is no problem in doing our own things. We have a meal together on our own every week and we go out somewhere for a few hours, on our joint day off when the children are at school. Neither of us work Sundays, so we have family days then. We are all incredibly close. We have breakfast together and an evening meal as a family most days unless one of us have plans or a friend of our children is over. We trust each other completely.We don't control each other.

We have family holidays but also have weekends or a week break with our own friends throughout the year.

When things crop up, we talk them through. Sometimes we can annoy each other, but we always find our way through.

My grandparents always told me the secret to a long marriage is honesty. It needs to be like a window. A long marriage needs transparency from both the husband and the wife. Sometimes things may appear cloudy and it's difficult to see the way through, but by being honest and supporting each other, the fog always clears. We have always kept this in mind. The fog always clears and there is no problem that is without a solution. Sometimes the window can get a chip when one is stressed, upset or unwell. Together by talking, being supportive and working as a team, the chip is filled and the window stays strong. By talking everything through together, it stops the chip becoming a crack and shattering the window. It has been such a good way of how we remain strong. I am very lucky to have my husband. We both have our strengths and weaknesses. I am better at some things than him and he is better at other things and it works. I drive him crazy sometimes just like he does to me but we work. We pull together. We go to each other first before anyone else. We know we are better together than apart. Our children are happy and settled. They have the stability of us being one unit and both sets of grandparents being solid units too.

Been married over 20 years. I trust him implicitly and always know he has my back. He's the most straight down the line, honest person I've ever known and he makes my world 100% better. Whatever happens, I do believe I will always know I made a pretty bloody excellent choice of husband, and of dad for my/our kids.

So sorry for your recent loss. 💐

It feels both recent and a long time ago?
I am a loving person so feel the need to be in that sort of relationship, I did have a very intense one early this year but we were at different stages of our lives so parted good friends!

Been together 32 years. 2 kids.

Hes my biggest cheerleader 🥰

These are great stories too - when people find love a bit later on 🙂

Just passed 29th anniversary. He’s my best mate and I feel lucky every day to have met him when I was young.

33 years and it’s been easy. There’s no one I’d rather be with, or tell news to, or see. He is the kindest bravest best person I have ever met.

Been together 20 years and have three DC.

I feel I can trust my DP completely, and for me the best thing is being with someone whose company I enjoy over everyone else's, and who still often really makes me really laugh. It's nice to feel we have our own little world to retreat to.

15 years married. I still find him interesting, sexy and funny. We are true partners and he fully supports all my endeavours and is a fully self sufficient human and is an equal parent (including to our child with special needs). We love each other and we enjoy each other’s company.

I love this thread 🥰

Been with DH since we were 17 - 14 years now, been married for 6. 2 lovely (and testing) young DDs.
We are just so relaxed and content around each other, we feel like a proper team. He is my safe space, I feel so loved and respected all the time ☺️

He makes my life easier. He supports me. I feel very loved because even though its been 10 years, he still sets his alarm early to scrape my windscreen in winter before I head to work because he knows I hate it. It's just wee things like that.

We both say how we feel too. Get things off our chest at the time, then move on without a grudge.

I feel so safe and happy.

Been together coming up 6 years and he still makes me laugh every single day. We have had to work hard at our relationship and in particular on our communication styles, but he treats me with respect, is kind and calm, and very good natured. He is also my biggest supporter and will always have my back. We love spending time together in a variety of ways, and he's my best friend.

Been together 17 years and married for 14. Think the key is that no matter what, you never want to hurt the other person. So we argue and lose our tempers etc occasionally but neither of us can stand the other one feeling bad so we tend to make up quickly and try hard not to say or do hurtful things. We genuinely want the best for each other.
We still do things together away from the kids, too (more a walk/ coffee than a cheesy ‘date night’) and have great sex!
Had a bit of a health scare recently and that reminded us how lucky we are to have each other, too.

Together 18 years, married 13. Still best friends. It was love at first sight. We respect and support each other and make each other laugh. Great sex life still. No kids but we fulfil each other.