The twisty lines of fate that lead two people together are always mysterious. What if you hadn't sat next to the shy-but-cute looking dude in your employee orientation and asked to borrow a pen from him? And what if you hadn't pushed aside your preference for tall, dark, and handsome to date your future (blonde) hubby who was only 5'6"? Finding your “perfect match” takes a lot of work, for sure, but a good portion of it can actually be chalked up to chance, timing, and good old-fashioned luck.

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Here, seven women share the funny and strange stories about how they almost didn’t up with their significant others.

1. “I took a job out of state about a year into our relationship. We didn't talk about what that meant for us, but I didn't see how we'd work out long distance, and figured we'd end amicably when he dropped me off in my new home. End of day one on the road, we got in a pretty bad car accident. The first time I said 'I love you' was as they were wheeling me away in the hospital. Very long story short, I ended up not moving back after the accident. We've been together 11 years total, married for two.” —Nicole, 35

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2. “My ex-husband and I were supposed to be stationed in Jacksonville, Florida, but someone made an error on his paperwork. He lost those orders, and a month before our big move, we found out we were moving to Pensacola, instead. My current boyfriend was already stationed in Pensacola, but was due to move before we got there. Due to a family emergency, he ended up getting orders to stay in Pensacola, which is pretty rare. We kept crossing paths, but it never went past friendship. When my marriage failed and I found myself at rock-bottom, my now boyfriend was there to help me up.” —Casey, 28

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3. “On our first date, he put mustard on his hamburger. I thought that was gross. I told myself to never see him again. This July is our 36th wedding anniversary.” —PJ, 60

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4. “We met when he was couch surfing with a new friend in my hometown. There are so many reasons why we almost didn't get together! We almost didn't get together because I was sure he was into men, but I fell hard as soon as he kissed me a few months after. We almost didn't get together because he lived in New York and I lived in Boston. We almost didn't get together because he broke my heart not long after and we both found other people. We almost didn't get together because his job takes him everywhere. But we're together now.” —Sharon, 23

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5. “I met my husband, who is seven years younger than me, through a friend when I was 38 and he was 31. That friend had previously (a few months before) set me up with another guy she was friends with (who was also seven years younger). After hanging out with the first dude, I told her I can't date younger men. I wasn't into the idea of a guy just entering his 30s. I liked 'em my age or older. Luckily, she didn't listen, because the next friend she set me up with became my husband. He was just too handsome, and funny, and creative, and awesome for me to consider his age in the equation.”—Jennifer, 42

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6. “I always had a huge crush on him, since high school, but he was a serial monogamist, going from one long-term girlfriend to the next. One night, just after college, we got drunk together and confessed our mutual feelings for each other...except he was going to London for an internship five days later. We kind of chalked it up to 'whatever happens will happen.' Three years later, when I was living back in my hometown because my mother died, I ran into him at a baseball game. The circumstances were sad, but the time was finally right.” —Melinda, 32

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Carrie Murphy
Originally from Baltimore, MD, Carrie works as a teacher, freelance writer, and doula in Albuquerque, NM. She is the author of poetry collections 'Fat Daisies' (Big Lucks, 2015) and 'Pretty Tilt' (Keyhole Press, 2012) as well as the chapbook, 'Meet the Lavenders' (Birds of Lace, 2011).