# Did you let your best love slip away? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 18, 2003, 6:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-let-your-best-love-slip-away/182649 "2003-06-18T06:30:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Capt.Caustic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ecc23a/32.png) [@Capt.Caustic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capt.Caustic)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2003, 6:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-let-your-best-love-slip-away/182649/1 "2003-06-18T06:30:14Z")
Like most folks, I’ve indulged in some what-ifs, but I’ve never come away with much regret. Stories of those sure they let the perfect one get away always intrigue me though, so I throw out the question. Did you let your best love slip away? ---
**Author:** ![SnoopyFan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d07c76/32.png) [@SnoopyFan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SnoopyFan)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2003, 6:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-let-your-best-love-slip-away/182649/2 "2003-06-18T06:40:52Z")
Nope. Married him. ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2003, 6:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-let-your-best-love-slip-away/182649/3 "2003-06-18T06:52:54Z")
Not yet. Trying to convince her to marry me. ---
**Author:** ![Ryle\_Dup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Ryle\_Dup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ryle_Dup)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2003, 6:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-let-your-best-love-slip-away/182649/4 "2003-06-18T06:58:36Z")
Yes, but it was due to the Evil Line of death[sub]]TM[/sub] Let’s just be friends ---
**Author:** ![Rico](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rico/32/3582_2.png) [@Rico](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rico)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2003, 7:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-let-your-best-love-slip-away/182649/5 "2003-06-18T07:25:02Z")
Let her slip away in high school, but found her 26 years later and we’re coming up on two years of marriage. Love you Kathy! ---
**Author:** ![Lizard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dfb087/32.png) [@Lizard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lizard)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2003, 7:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-let-your-best-love-slip-away/182649/6 "2003-06-18T07:30:38Z")
Haven’t met her yet. ---
**Author:** ![Lizard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dfb087/32.png) [@Lizard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lizard)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2003, 7:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-let-your-best-love-slip-away/182649/7 "2003-06-18T07:41:09Z")
But I’ve got plenty other regrets. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Eternal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ecb155/32.png) [@Eternal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eternal)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2003, 8:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-let-your-best-love-slip-away/182649/8 "2003-06-18T08:24:31Z")
I tried to hold her as hard as I could, but her hand was just so wet. She disappeared beneath the crashing waves, and I never saw her again. I’m not speaking metaphorically here. She actually fell and died. ---
**Author:** ![SkeptiJess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea666f/32.png) [@SkeptiJess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SkeptiJess)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2003, 10:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-let-your-best-love-slip-away/182649/9 "2003-06-18T10:39:47Z")
Nah. He just left for work, but he’ll be home tonight. ---
**Author:** ![auntnut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f6c823/32.png) [@auntnut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/auntnut)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2003, 11:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-let-your-best-love-slip-away/182649/10 "2003-06-18T11:19:52Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Eternal \* > \*\*I tried to hold her as hard as I could, but her hand was just so wet. She disappeared beneath the crashing waves, and I never saw her again. I’m not speaking metaphorically here. She actually fell and died. \*\* Wow…I am so sorry…(I apologize if that sounds lame, but I just don’t know what else to say.) ---
**Author:** ![Special\_Agent\_Jazz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bcef8e/32.png) [@Special\_Agent\_Jazz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Special_Agent_Jazz)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2003, 11:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-let-your-best-love-slip-away/182649/11 "2003-06-18T11:49:43Z")
Don’t know…dated this guy, he was a real jerk to me but he was the only guy who took interest me and I often wondered if that was it and I missed it and am going to be alone for the rest of my life. **Eternal** - That’s incredibly sad, I’m so sorry. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2003, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-let-your-best-love-slip-away/182649/12 "2003-06-18T12:59:17Z")
Slip away, restraining order, whatever you want to call it:D ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2003, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-let-your-best-love-slip-away/182649/13 "2003-06-18T13:02:38Z")
Not really sure. I’m happily married, but there have been a few that got away that I wonder about sometimes. ---
**Author:** ![DaToad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@DaToad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DaToad)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2003, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-let-your-best-love-slip-away/182649/14 "2003-06-18T13:16:48Z")
Probably so. She was 5 yrs. older than me and worried that as we aged I would eventually want a younger woman. She moved away. I found her, but couldn’t convince her to change her mind. I’ve been in love since, but not like that. ---
**Author:** ![172pilot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/1/3da27b/32.png) [@172pilot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/172pilot)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2003, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-let-your-best-love-slip-away/182649/15 "2003-06-18T13:42:22Z")
No, I married her. We dated from our senior year of high school, through college and a few years beyond that. We a re now approaching our first anniversary as a married couple. I love her. ---
**Author:** ![Edward\_The\_Head](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ce73a5/32.png) [@Edward\_The\_Head](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Edward_The_Head)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2003, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-let-your-best-love-slip-away/182649/16 "2003-06-18T13:57:47Z")
Sigh… yep, she slipped away from me a few years ago. Hard part was that she lived on the other side of the pond. I really shoud have just gone to school there and been done with it. Heard she’s gotten married so I hope she’s at least happy. ---
**Author:** ![Tixenfleaz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e9a140/32.png) [@Tixenfleaz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tixenfleaz)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2003, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-let-your-best-love-slip-away/182649/17 "2003-06-18T15:01:34Z")
Yeah. I’ve done some stupid things, but that was tops. Losing her made me finally grow up though. Hell, she’s probably better off without me. ---
**Author:** ![Capt.Caustic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ecc23a/32.png) [@Capt.Caustic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capt.Caustic)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2003, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-let-your-best-love-slip-away/182649/18 "2003-06-18T17:36:10Z")
I guess The One that Got Away is just a subset of the set of Regrets in general. “If I only knew then what I know now,” but then you only know now what you know now because you didn’t know it then. Life is growth, you’re always taught the lessons you need to learn. Or is it? Perhaps I can say that because I landed on my feet. The poor guy who struggles and becomes rich and respected has all kinds of advice to give, but how much of it is applicable? How much of his success is really blind luck? What if I hemmed and hawed about breaking up, decided to do so, then spent years and years alone and less happy than I was in the relationship? Thoughts like those make me leery of giving others advice. ---
**Author:** ![Toaster52](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/50afbb/32.png) [@Toaster52](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Toaster52)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2003, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-let-your-best-love-slip-away/182649/19 "2003-06-18T17:49:03Z")
I gave her up when I found her in bed with another man. Sad thing is, I still love her. ---
**Author:** ![ShadiRoxan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@ShadiRoxan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShadiRoxan)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2003, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-let-your-best-love-slip-away/182649/20 "2003-06-18T17:51:57Z")
I tried to push him away. He tried to get rid of me. Five years later we’re planning a wedding. Some things are just meant to be no matter how hard you try to go against it. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-let-your-best-love-slip-away/182649.md?page=2)