I had just started dating a guy who loved mountain biking, so I thought I would try it with him. After testing a couple of easy trails, I bought an expensive bike and tried it out. My third time on it, I went on an advanced hill to impress the guy and fell head-over-handlebars—twice. The bike has not been touched since, but I’m happy to say that this past July, three summers after the biking incident, the biker I was trying to impress became my husband.
Sarah Strahm
Altoona, Wisconsin

I have never been an athletic person. So when I met my future husband and he said he was a snowboarder, I was not interested in learning the sport. The first winter we were dating, he moved two hours away, and we saw each other only one day a week. My mother’s advice was that if I wanted the relationship to work, I had better get on a board. So the following winter, I tried snowboarding. I fell a lot and was covered in black-and-blue marks, but I just kept trying, and now we have a blast on the mountains. Since we’ve been together for 10 years now, I can say that Mom’s advice worked for us.
Michelle Landes
Middletown, New York

I became a stay-at-home mom. It was hard to give up a great-paying job, that cushion in the bank account, and compliments from my peers. (Babies, as lovely as they are, never say, “Thanks for changing my diaper — you did that with great professionalism and speed.”) But five years and two more children later, I know it was the best thing I’ve ever done.
Teisha Moseley
Roswell, Georgia

My mom met Nate about a month before I did, and she called me to say she had found the man I was going to marry. I came out from Los Angeles to meet him, and over the following 24 hours we fell in love. After knowing Nate for a little more than a day, I decided to move to Las Vegas to be with him. It should have been one of the hardest decisions of my life, but as scary as it was, I knew I was making the right choice. Nate is my best friend, and he makes me laugh every day. We have been laughing together now for more than a year and a half.
Wendi Glodery
Las Vegas, Nevada

When my friend was diagnosed with breast cancer, I made the decision to walk 26.2 miles in her honor in a breast-cancer walkathon. This meant hours of training every day (sometimes in the pouring rain) and putting some of my own needs on hold. I was exhausted at times, emotionally and physically, but I always had my friend and her struggle on my mind as motivation. In the end, I proudly walked the entire distance with her name written on my back. Now that I think of it, maybe that wasn’t crazy — just what I believe you should do to show support for people you love.
Jillian Desiderio
White Plains, New York

I supported my husband when he wanted to quit his nine-to-five job in the Midwest and pursue an acting career in Los Angeles. He is the sole income earner in our family (I home-school our children), and we live in a much smaller house than the one we had in Indiana. But the man I love so much has a passion, and I wanted to help him go for it. Money is tight, but ambition, fun, and love are not.
Rosemary Talbot
Santa Monica, California

I abandoned a life of luxury, in which I was like a trophy placed on a shelf to collect dust until the next social gathering or charity event. I left with just a few pieces of clothing — no money, not even my beautiful and very expensive car. What did I leave for? A hero of a man who works in the local discount center, stocking shelves for $10.75 an hour. I have never for one second of one minute regretted it. He adores and cherishes me, and we make every day count. Our life is simple and uncluttered by senseless material things. We have adventures, like going to swing at the park, looking for turtles at the creek, and hiking on the local trails. These are things money could never buy. I will live the rest of my life knowing I made the right decision when it came to love.
Kimberly Cox
Sherman, Texas

Over the years, I had grown jaded and distrusting of others, convinced I could only ever depend on myself — but finally I learned to trust again. As scary as trusting another person was, I realized that if I didn’t trust my husband, I would never be truly loving him. I’m now proud of our relationship and proud to say that I can believe in him and our love.
Jessica Humphery
Eastlake, Ohio

I fell in head over heels when I met my husband, and I discovered a passion I’d never imagined could exist. I watched as my perfectly mapped-out life went out the window so I could be with the love of my life. Since my husband is in the military, I am often a single mom; I have moved frequently; I have made more acquaintances than friends; and I have put my own career on the back burner. But I have never once wanted to do anything differently. What good would it all be without my husband to share it with?
Jennifer Taylor
Round Rock, Texas

It took me a year to muster up the courage, but I finally confessed to my best friend that I was in love with him. The moment the words came out of my mouth, I knew I had done the right thing. Fortunately, it turned out he felt the same way. We got married three years later, and our first baby will arrive this year.
Pubali Campbell
Manchester, New Hampshire

I had finally achieved my lifelong goal of acquiring a job on Capitol Hill, and I was scheduled to move to Washington, D.C., after the November 2000 elections. But in mid-August, I had my first date with Adam and immediately knew that this was “it.” I turned down my dream job, but Adam I have been married for two years and have a three-month-old daughter. Happiness can’t be scheduled or planned. Take it whenever you find it.
Stephanny Smith
Fort Wayne, Indiana

The craziest thing I ever did for love was commit to it. The decision to love my husband and my children every day without reservations has been the most enriching one of my life. People fall in and out of love all the time. To decide that, no matter what, I will love this person with every fiber of my being, regardless of what he does — well, that’s pretty crazy.
Andrea Corbett
Kalispell, Montana

Because I was pretty sure the Frenchman I had met while camping in Australia was the man for me, I flew to meet him for a week in Paris, on his suggestion. When the time came for him to go back home, I followed him to the train station, hopped on with him, and never left. Ten years and two children later, I’d say the craziest thing I ever did for love was also the smartest.
Barbara Fayeulle
Longmont, Colorado