12 Answers

I married at a very young age. Everyone said this marriage will NEVER last more than 6 months. We're going on 42 years (I think). I can say that I love my wife more today than when we were married. We both have our quirks but the good far outweighs the negatives. She snores, drives like she's leaving the scene of a crime, sucks with money but I love this woman to death and I tell her every day. She in turn pats me on the head and says "I really do like you".

I don't think that it's the "love" that fades.  I think that the "enthusiasm" that you originally had, as you have for anything "new", is the thing that fades. Then, sometimes, one or the other, starts getting restless or feeling stuck or resentful and the trouble starts.

Our expectation that everything will stay the same, is not realistic.  Everything in life changes, including every relationship.  That doesn't make it bad...just different from where it started.

Love gets stronger.  Infatuation, lust and desire fade.

People change and grow away from each other. 

I don't think love fades, but does change and matures, the feeling is not the same but somehow stronger, I still love my husband but in different way, we are friends, we share, we accept and we laugh.

Time passes, and leaves behind
Memories and traces of a love that has died.
Smiles and tears walked hand in hand
Before time passed; before love died.

I don't have the answer.  A guy I met recently was married for 27 years, with grown children and grandchildren.  His wife divorced him, after stringing him along for over a year.  After I don't know how many years, he flat-out asked her what happened!  "We weren't friends" was her reply.

It's something to think about.  The long-time marrieds of akaQA appear to be married to their best friends.   You need to LIKE each other to keep LOVING each other (although not every person you LIKE is someone you will LOVE).

Ducky

Good thoughts Bob/PKB.

Just like the "roses it dies .Time to find new pastures ,they say the grass is greener on the other side

You have to work on it all the time..................like a garden.......

You find your common bonds first, in the beginning.  Exciting!!  And then you begin to see your differences over the months or years, unfortunately. You work to find a balance, if that is important to you.

I think maybe lust fades true love grows usually if one is ever lucky enough to find it in life.

Faded Love:  http://youtu.be/ESeyLLz82mE