Tag: love

If you’ve ever dated someone significantly older or younger, you’re probably used to the questions. Are they in it for the right reasons? Can you keep up with each others’ physical needs? Can this relationship really work in the long term?

Those questions can only be answered with honest and open communication between each individual couple. While some of these relationships may face major issues, compatibility and proper self-care can lead to a healthy relationship (or even just a fling!) regardless of age gap.

Here are a few couples who prove that age is really just a number.

Celine Dion and René Angélil

Dion raised a few eyebrows when she married her manager, René Angélil, in 1994. The pair wed following a romance which began in 1987 when Dion was only 18. Angélil was 26 years her senior.

The couple proved the critics wrong: After their extravagant wedding was aired on Canadian television, the couple quickly became known for their strong, kind, and enduring relationship. They were married nearly 22 years before Angélil passed away in January 2016.

Dion shared that a sense of humour was central to their connection: “We laugh. We joke. We kid each other. We want our marriage to last forever. Talk over everything and you’ll find you are still on the honeymoon. Communication — it’s the most important. It’s the secret.”

Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively

These new parents are always making headlines for their sweet, affectionate relationship. Despite a 12 year age gap, Lively gushes that “I knew he would always be my best friend for my whole life. That was the biggest thing to me. I’d never known anything like the friendship that I had with him. I could like him as much as I loved him.”

In a radio interview, Reynolds explains how the friendship evolved into a relationship, saying “We went on a double date. She was on a date with another guy, and I was on a date with another girl. That was the most awkward date [from their perspective] probably because we were just like fireworks coming across.” The couple has been together since 2011.

And so, so, so many others!

There are thousands of stories from happy couples with relationship gaps. The key for almost all of them? Communication, communication, communication.

Whether it’s a fun fling or a long term relationship, knowing what your goals are as individuals and as a couple can lead to a rewarding romance.

Knowing exactly who you are and why you are together can also help you to navigate potential judgments. As couples’ counsellor Rebecca Sears, LPC states, “This certainly is one of many kinds of pairings that may look odd to others, but when you start to know them it makes sense. There is something about every couple that makes sense once you get to know them.”

One of the most difficult things to communicate about in a May-December relationship

As a men’s health clinic, we see plenty of happy relationships with an age gap. For them, only one issue stands in their way: intimate men’s health issues.

Yes, this is often the elephant in the room. But is such an important issue faced by so many couples–an issue which is often treatable.

If you’re struggling with men’s health issues, we’re here to help. Simply call us at 1-844-500-1177 or contact us online for an expert consultation at our Vancouver or Toronto clinics.

Do you have to be a teenager or twenty-something to find romance? Many of the budding romances we see on screen, in books, or in songs feature young love. But in reality there’s no age limit for love.

There are many more stories that often don’t get told.

If you ask the couples below, they would tell you that it’s never too late to find love.

George Clooney and Amal Alamuddin

George Clooney, a well-known actor, was 52 when he met Amal Alamuddin, a prominent human rights lawyer, in 2013 at the age of 35. They met through a mutual friend at Clooney’s home in Lake Como, Italy, and quickly connected over shared values and intellectual conversations. They married in 2014 and have since built a strong partnership, raising twins together while balancing high-profile careers and philanthropy. Their relationship is often highlighted for its mutual respect and support, with Clooney noting in interviews how Amal changed his perspective on life and love, emphasizing the joy of finding a partner later in life.

Mandy Patinkin and Kathryn Grody

Actor Mandy Patinkin was 28 when he met Kathryn Grody, a writer and actress, in 1978 during an off-Broadway play, though Grody was already in her mid-30s and a divorced mother of two. Their relationship deepened over time, leading to a marriage in 1980 that has lasted over four decades. They’ve often spoken about their enduring love, with Patinkin describing Grody as his best friend and creative partner. Their relationship gained attention during the COVID-19 pandemic through viral social media videos showcasing their playful, loving dynamic, which resonated with audiences as a testament to a fulfilling partnership built on humor and mutual support.

George Carlin and Sally Wade

Famed comedian George Carlin met his second wife, Sally, a year after he had lost his first wife to cancer, he wasn’t expecting the courtship so soon after the death, and said the relationship happened “like a thunderbolt.” Carlin, aged 61 at the time, found his match in Sally. He described the relationship as “what I call perfect. It’s a gift. It’s an absolute gift from the cosmos that we found each other.” The two spent a decade together before his death in 2008.

In an interview after Carlin’s death, Wade noted that a willingness to be vulnerable was central to this love story. “Because I took a chance, I met my match, and we don’t always take that chance. And I’ve always been afraid of intimacy, but he made me feel safe. So it was just one of those moments in life that you regret if you don’t do it, yet you know you might get really hurt if you do.”

Nancy and Ronald Reagan

Would-be President Ronald Reagan married Nancy Davis in 1952, when he was 41 and she was 31.

In a book she wrote, Nancy describes what initially attracted her to Ronald: “He didn’t talk about himself. He didn’t talk about his movies. He talked about a lot of things, but not about ‘my next picture, my last picture …’ He was a Civil War buff, loved horses, and knew a lot about wine. In fact, he had a broad knowledge of a lot of different things. I loved to listen to him talk. I loved his sense of humor. I saw it clearly that very first night: He was everything that I wanted.”

Their 52-year marriage was full of romance, with Ronald often writing love letters. In one, given to Nancy for their 31st wedding anniversary, he wrote “I more than love you, I’m not whole without you. You are life itself to me.”

James and Peggy Mason

James, 93, and Peggy, 84, became the oldest newlyweds in the UK when they married shortly after meeting at a retirement centre in 2007.

The Guardian interviewed the couple after their wedding, and the couple was clearly smitten. Peggy shared that the romance was love at first sight, saying “I knew as soon as I saw him he was the man for me. It was the twinkle in his eyes. He makes me happy, we’re laughing all the time. We find funny things in everything. That’s great at our time of life to laugh. Laughter is the best medicine.”

Mr. Mason added “It’s never too late. If you love them, marry them. There’s no point hanging round at our age. You need to get on with things.”

Anyone Can Find Love Later in Life

As a men’s health clinic, we hear many stories about people rejuvenating their love lives and finding romance throughout their lives. We also hear about how men of any age, particularly those over 40, can have medical issues which can get in the way of a rewarding and intimate relationship.

If you need medical assistance as you get back into the dating world, FullMast clinics in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) are here to help. Call us toll free at 1-844-500-1177 or book an appointment here today.