At 37, I thought I had found stability with a job I loved, good friends, and a new relationship with Theo, who made me feel truly seen. But introducing him to my overbearing mother was a challenge. She showed up uninvited to a dinner date, watching us through binoculars. Then, she shocked us by handing Theo a list of 17 strange “Rules for Dating My Daughter,” including submitting reading lists for approval and avoiding public hand-holding. Theo stayed calm but eventually left.
Fearing the relationship was over, I was surprised when Theo called three days later and invited us both out. The day began with a literature lecture, where Theo and my mom bonded, and later he helped her after she slipped into a lake, making her laugh. That evening, my mom whispered, “He’s a good one.”
Two months later, Theo proposed with a new list: “Reasons I Love You.” I said yes. Since then, our relationship and my mom’s attitude have both grown. Love didn’t just change my life—it changed all of ours.
