r/romance

Okay so I’ve (44 year old female) had this happen before and then ended up in a serious relationship with the guy so I’m not sure if it’s currently happening again.
So I’ve been kinda seeing someone (44year old male) casually and he does things around my house and mows the yard, checks my oil repairs things for me to help me out. He’s so sweet and I just adore him but it’s almost as if he’s actively trying to avoid me. Like he’s suddenly really short but reaches out to tell me important things going on with him. Him and I were actually 7th grade bf and gf and I ended up moving back to my home town after only living and calling him my bf for about a year. He was completely devastated when I moved. He used to reach out wanting to see me really bad and it never worked out due to dating someone else at the time or just couldn’t ever make the time to get together. Anyways I finally did and now I swear it’s like I know I was starting to get really attached so I think maybe he was starting to feel those feelings so he’s trying to avoid falling harder.
Is this something that men regularly do at first due to lack of self esteem, not feeling like your life is ready, fear etc.?

I know most of you will call me stupid or a coward...

So I after I graduated I applied for a job and I met a girl ..she and I were both new hires here is the thing...she was everything I wanted..she spoke the language of my soul...we became so close we had our inside jokes ...I really loved her..I know she loved me too..but here is the thing she just took the job because she wanted to see the working life and she was also preparing for college exams...so she only worked a month..I really wanted to date her too..but when I looked at my financial condition I knew it was better not to ruin her life...but when I got a job abroad I was so happy thinking this is it..now I can finally but unfortunately reality was different..the salary and the cost of living is so horrible I honestly don't know what to do..I wish I had better opportunities..but in stuck with this minimum wage job

..there are many positions I know I can do better then those people but I never got the opportunity to join because I have no experience and I have no experience because I can't join...I'm not greedy for money ..but I just wanted financial stability not so much enough stability to afford my own room...but I can't even do that...I honestly feel embarrassed to ask her out...I feel she is better off without me..but I honestly don't want her to go with anyone else..but I have nothing to offer..and I'm not getting any younger time is slipping...

Everyone keeps saying I’m in love, I’m falling in love… but what is love??

Like does anybody actually know??

How do you fall in love?

How do you even know you’re in love?

And do you think nowadays it’s just for aesthetics and nobody actually knows what they’re talking about??

Because I genuinely don’t understand it.

Like—

If you like someone’s appearance → that’s attraction

If you can’t stop thinking about them → that’s infatuation

If you can’t function without them → that’s attachment

If your mood depends on them → that’s dependence

If it’s “you are mine” → that’s ego

If you are obsessed with them → that’s obsession

So if you strip all these things away, then remains an uncomfortable question:

WHAT IS LOVE??

Like , does anybody have an actual answer? Please tell me.

The only explanation that makes sense to me is:

love is not “she is mine” but “I’m hers” — becoming of your loved one.

And still the question remains the same…

WHAT IS LOVE??

So basically I've been friends with this girl for more than a year now and we've been talking daily, making jokes, always help eachother and give advice and sometimes even flirt with eachother. I thought that this is only a great friendship, but the more we talk the more I fell for her, but I'm genuinely scared to tell her. A fe months ago she was in a pretty toxic relationship and she told me that she never want to give the wron idea to me and that we're just friends and I totally agreed then, but for the past 2 weeks she's been talking with me more, complemetning me, telling me how much I mean to her so I'm not sure what she wants to make out of our relationship. I fear that our friendship might end up being awkward or I'll just completely mess up our friendship.

I thank everyone in advance for any genuine advice!

I (19F) made a post about a bank teller at the bank I cash my checks. From this post and forward I’m gonna call her S.

Last Wednesday I went in to cash my check like normal and the teller was there. S was the next free teller to I went up and give her everything needed to cash the check. There was a bit of small talk about me starting an account and S asked if I wanted to set an appointment to start the account. I agreed and she scheduled the appointment.

Fast forward to this Wednesday (today), I show up and there S was in the lobby. She told me I could take a seat while I wait on the person who was helping set up the account. While I waited there was some more small talk but not about banking. She asked how my weekend was, asked me some questions about my job, etc. a coworker of hers came over and looked at the iPad S was holding, read my name, and looked up at me. The coworker repeated my name to me and I told her yes. S then told her something along the lines of “She is the one I was telling you about that I was excited to help get an account started.”

Now as short as this seemed this was like an almost 20 minute or longer interaction. Finally the guy who is helping me set up the account appears and I follow him. After we completed everything I went to cash my check but I looked around the room for S and she wasn’t there. I assumed she left for the day and went home.

Idk if I’m just reading too much into this or what.. This is all I have for now. I do have to cash my paycheck tomorrow however, I’m unsure if she’ll be there.

I have no one to talk to about this loll!

(Also I realized I may have over aged her in my original post. She’s definitely somewhere between 22-26)

Hi! Im 17 almost 18 and ive never had a reciprocated crush my entire life. Im graduating at the end of june, and lately I feel like ive been thinking loads of guys are cute because I feel like im running out of time (I know im not), anyways, theres this guy rn who I honestly have a fat crush on and I have a class with him, but im debating if I should even try at this point. When I say ive never had a reciprocated crush, I mean it. In elementary and middle school I used to straight up tell the people I liked that I did, it never went well. So now throughout highschool I try to get like somewhat of a green light even if it isnt by adding them on some social media. When I say its bad, I genuinely have only ever gotten 1 follow back out of like 6+ guys ive been interested in. For the recent crush Ive spoken to him like briefly a few times and Ive caught him looking a couple of times, and I added him on snapchat and he added me back within like 20 min. I just dont know if I should try and like follow him on other social medias or idek what to do, and risk embarrassment once again or just not try at all. I need some kind of advice 😞 I just think hes really cute and I want some sort of romantic experience before highschool ends.

I see a lot of people saying that men distance themselves from female friends who reject them. They are honestly protecting their heart. They need time and space to move on until their feelings die down

I'm genuinely tired of almost everyone being so superficial when it comes to dating nowadays. It's all about hooking up and situationships. Some people even post cute photos on social media trying to portray a perfect relationship when sometimes they are miserable. When did the dating world become so dystopian to the point that you're made fun of for dating someone society thinks is "ugly"? Like, are we dating because we love each other or are we dating for others approval? When did these stupid rules ("3 month rules" or "if they do this they don't love you") started to be taken seriously? We are humans, shouldn't feelings be our strength? Because that's the only think that currently distinguishes us from technology.

My desire would be....

Speak to me soft, touch me even softer and leave major impact. Not by being loud, not by being harsh and not by competing...

Touch me slow, take your time, give me a smile.. please🥰 cuddle me more often, hold me close knowing you run this. Not in a controlling way,

but in a, "i know that she knows where she belongs and i know that this is where she wants to be as much as i do."

Be aware that we can go as far as we feel safe with. Safe enough to communicate, safe enough to receive criticism and compliments. A space where you show up naked, with patience, with Love and security.

That would be it for me. A man who moves mountains with the tone of his voice, not by yelling.

23F Caribbean, lives in EU🌸✨️

I really really need advice

i would want my partner to dress in front of others with decency, because i dont want others seeing my partners curves or look at them in a lustful way. that body would be only for me to look at. (seeing the hate comments, ill just comment gifs so that our conversation doesn't continue)

I love being able to look my romantic partner in the eye and see her for who she wants to be. Being able to accommodate her needs and to to talk plainly in a language she understands. I love being told that I touch her deep inside her soul and my touch leaves her craving. I love how I feel when we match energy together and the want I feel is equal to hers for me.

But it's not all happiness and sunshine. I can also feel her doubt, her uncertainty. I can tell when she has fallen out of love with me. When I don't fulfill her needs. And I keep telling myself that I could be wrong this time. And it hurts a lot worse, but I try again. And I keep trying because I keep believing that one day, she'll stay in my arms. One day, it'll be perfect.