I looked for my first love and sadly found he had died doing the one thing he loved, sailing and exploring out in the Pacific Ocean. He taught me to sail and surf and I taught him how to water-ski. We had so much fun and were so wild when we were young. He gave me a lot and I will never forget him and his crooked smile and twisted humor. He was bigger then life and just an all around good guy.

I found my very first date - he’s the owner of a large construction company in Kansas, very rich. I found my prom date - he’s an international lawyer, very rich. I found my first college boyfriend - he’s a judge, very rich. I found a few summer flings - two GP’s, one pediatrician, an oncologist, a dentist, and a vascular surgeon, all rich. I found my first long-term college boyfriend - he died of cancer at 29. I found his brother, also a boyfriend - he’s gone, too. I found my old dancing pal - dead of AIDS at 39. At that point, I decided I was a bad influence and quit looking. It’s funny, though, how all my old beaus have so much money and my husband and I have none. :)

Mike Morgan! I was a 7th grader and he was 9th! What a man! We went to see Day of the Dolphin and I was in love. He was even in the newpaper as an Eagle Scout, having saved someone from drowning, after he had just had a recent hernia surgery. I wonder where he is…never found him. But thats just fine! I have my darling husband. Master Sargent, 30 years in the army. What a MAN!

I play a game on-line and that is how I meet my current husband, we used to talk on the phone everyday for over 2 years for hours a day, we both lived 1900 miles apart. I can say it has been the best experience of my life, he is my best friend, I would not trade him for anything. When we met I was not looking for a relationship and he respected that and we both literally started off as good friends and it later developed into what we have now a wonderful marriage of over 5 years.

This question should be accompanied by “do you cry when you break a nail?”

Good Gravy! I read this question the wrong way - or it’s poorly stated! No, I never searched for my first love online, I am too old for that - there was no Internet then. However, after glancing at these posts, I realize what all but do-do here understood. Yes, I’ve looked for a pediatrician I was engaged to for a long time (and stopped the wedding, breaking his heart), but he wasn’t my first “blush.” I don’t even remember the first sweetie’s name, except I do remember that we dance all evening a song that still warms this old heart, at my friend’s birthday party (it was his cousin). Our parents felt that we were “too young” to have a crush - I think we were both juniors, in our respective private high schools. (Cindy, I love your story - that was a nice one, too - could not imagine ‘meeting’ someone online, frankly, but your situation turned out just perfect).

I’ve looked up most of the people I dated online, being from the facebook generation. (Well, maybe that’s a slightly generous assessment of my age!) The search satisfied my curiosity, but little else. Apparently everyone I’ve ever dated seriously enough to be able to find is married. I suppose it shouldn’t be a huge surprise given that I’ve been married for about four years. It kind of shatters the ego stroking illusion that they’re all pining for me, though. However, I did learn that the boy I had a huge crush on my freshmen year of highschool is dating a man. (Oddly enough, the boy I had a crush on my sophmore year turned out to be gay too….) It’s funny, because I had this tremendous crush and did all the stupid girl things, like memorize his schedule so I would just happen to be walking down the right hallway. But someone else asked me out, and I decided that it was stupid for me to continue mooning over someone who wouldn’t date me so I said yes. Later on, I learned through the grape vine that my crush had been planning on asking me out. Over the years I wondered what would have happened had I not been a silly little 13 year old. Now I have an answer. Probably nothing. I’m actually not sure how I feel about that.

ARE WE EVER GOING TO SEE ANOTHER POLL??????

For years, I would see my first love at high school reunions. We would say warm “hellos”, greet each other’s spouses, murmur the usual “my, you look great”, etc. and then go to opposite sides of the banquet hall; maybe exchanging a glance, but no more. Finally, at the last reunion, he was the first person to come up and give me a big hug and a sincere “Hello”. It felt like some kind of quantum shift had occured. Who knows? - Maybe it really was “time” for us to finally resume our friendship and connect for real? Email gave us the opportunity to follow-up on that very nice evening, and we became friends. For real. I got to be “right” since I was the one who broke up the engagement, all those years ago, because instinctively I knew we were meant to be good friends, not married partners. And, sure enough, we both married wonderfully perfect partners. This past year, his wife died, and he is moving ahead with great dignity - certainly handling it better than I ever would, in his shoes. He spent a few days with me and my husband, this past summer, and it was like having our oldest, best friend in the house. Best of all, I have someone back in my life who remembers…….the small town where we grew up (which has now changed beyond all recognition), plus he recalls my parents when they were still young and lively, plus we have so many good memories of growing up and having a (can you believe it?) angst-free, happy adolescence. Email allows us to stay in close communication, and everytime I read an email from him, I am reminded of my funny, interesting, thoughtful “first love” - plus, my husband and I can enjoy having him as our wonderful friend. I often marvel that people who come into our lives, in early childhood, are really only there because of mere geography…..same town, same school…..and yet they provide the kind of deep abiding friendship and connection, unlike any other friendships. S’wonderful!