ON MONDAY, THE Humans of New York Facebook page introduced the world to an elderly man holding up a book of Shakespeare’s sonnets:

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His story, which has reached millions of people already, begins by letting us know that he’s a widower:

My wife passed away last January. We’d been married for 62 years. You caught me at a time when I’ve been thinking a lot about love because I’m reading Shakespeare’s sonnets.

He spoke to the photographer on what love is:

The definition of love is elusive, which is why we write about it endlessly. Even Shakespeare couldn’t touch it. All the greatest love stories just seem to be about physical attraction. Romeo and Juliet didn’t know if they liked the same books or movies. It was just physical.

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And finished by telling us what makes a long-lasting marriage:

After 62 years, it becomes something different entirely. My wife used to say: ‘We are one.’ And believe me, she was not the type of person to overstate something. Now that she’s gone, I realize how right she was. So much of our lives were linked. We were very physical and affectionate. But we also shared every ritual of our life. 

I miss her every time I leave a movie and can’t ask for her opinion. Or every time I go to a restaurant and can’t give her a taste of my chicken. I miss her most at night. We got in bed together at the same time every night.

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Since the man’s wonderful story was liked by more than a million people on Facebook, others have been commenting on the post with their own heartbreaking stories

Like Anna’s grandparents here:

Humans of New York Humans of New York

Humans of New York Humans of New York

And Julissa’s in-laws’ last picture:

Humans of New York Humans of New York

This is the last time my in laws held hands after 54 years of marriage, dad lost his battle to liver cancer. Now mom has broken heart syndrome, her life will never be the same because half of her heart left on November 22, 2015. They were my best example of true love, yes, it does exist. And it’s way more than a physical attraction.

So much emotion.

Humans of New York, you’ve done it again.

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