When you’re looking for love, using dating apps and trawling bars can feel like you’ve reached the last resort. And quite frankly, it can leave you feeling a bit desperate. When all of your friends are hitched, having families and pairing you up with unsuitable dates at their all-couples dinner parties, it’s no wonder you are giving up in the idea of romance.
Before you give up all hope of finding Mr or Mrs Right, take some time to think outside of the box. You’ll be surprised at some of the weird and wonderful places some people have managed to find true love. Start by nurturing yourself and only go to the places that make you feel good. Do the things that inspire you. At the very least you are more likely to bump into someone with similar interests. And doing your favourite things, you’re more likely to have a special glow about you. Trust us – when you are feeling good, you’ll be giving off a good vibe, and that’s great for the romance radar.
The proof is in the pudding – take a look at these three weird or wonderful romantic encounters. Who said romance was dead?
- Victim in Boston Marathon bombing married his nurse
Three people were killed and hundreds more injured when a bomb went off in crowds at the Boston Marathon on 15th April 2013. James Costello underwent multiple surgeries at Massachusetts General Hospital, and was subsequently transferred to the Spalding Rehabilitation Hospital. It was there that Costello fell in love with Krista D’Agostino, the nurse who cared for him during his recovery. The couple were engaged in December 2013 and tied the knot on August 23rd 2014. What a heartening story to come out of such a devastating tragedy.
- A funeral director takes love matters into her own hands
Lynne Love (the name couldn’t be more apt), a funeral director, took matters into her own hands and set two of her recently bereaved clients up on a date. Both complained about their loneliness following the funerals of their loved ones. The funeral director had kept in touch with 76-year-old Tom Lennon (who lost his wife) and 70-year-old Isabell Bacon (who lost her husband) after the respective funerals. When hearing how lonely they were, she arranged for them to meet. They married 6 months later with ‘Love’ as the witness. A match made in heaven.
- Prisoner hits it off with prison cook, but love takes a wrong turn
Jeana Ramsey struck up a friendship with prisoner Edward Johnson, when she worked as a cook in the Miami correctional facility. After his release they moved in together. It wasn’t long before Ramsey found herself on the wrong side of the law, when she was involved alongside Johnson and three others, in a botched bank robbery. Two people were killed and another paralysed in the aggravated robbery attempt. The guy who fired the shots was given a death sentence, while Johnson was given 40 years, and Ramsey got 7. Romance doesn’t always have a rosy ending.
On a practical note, we’ve put together 5 things you should be doing if you’re serious about finding a new love.
- Hang out in your favourite coffee shop
Getting to know your fellow local coffee lovers is a must. You get some chill out time, as well as a good coffee, and you never know you could meet the person you’ve been dreaming about. Read something interesting. It could be a great conversation starter.
- Sign up to an after work language course
Signing up to a language course is, let’s face it, on most people’s bucket lists anyway. So do it sooner rather than later. Learning a language means you have to practise speaking with other members of the class. It’s a great way to get to know a new bunch of people. And there’s a fair amount of eye contact. If languages aren’t for you, pick any subject you are interested in from carpentry to photography and get yourself signed up to a course. It will open up a whole new social group of friends, and with any luck you’ll find true romance too.
- Conquer a fear
Sign up to an experience day, with Into the Blue. Whether it’s hot air ballooning, skydiving or rally car racing, it doesn’t really matter. Feeling exhilarated and overcoming a fear will leave you looking radiant. You never know a potential Mr or Mrs Right may be suitably impressed by your bravery.
- Go wild at a music gig or festival
Sharing your love of a genre of music is a sure way to know you have something in common. Keep your eyes peeled and your smile wide while you bob your head to your favourite tunes. “I love this one” may be a cheesy chat-up line, but when you are looking for a connection, it might just work.
- Volunteer for your favourite local charity
If you’re passionate about a cause or just keen to contribute to your local community, volunteering for your chosen local charity is a great thing to do. While we’re not suggesting you only do this as a means to an end, if you have a genuine caring nature, you’ll be sure to meet a whole set of genuine caring, likeminded souls. You’ll feel good anyway, even if romance doesn’t materialise.
