JoAnn, 62 and Greg, 63




JoAnn and Greg met online more than two years ago. She was a widow who had been married 34 years when her husband died in 2005. Greg is divorced. Both have grown children. While they see each other nearly every day, like this sunny Sunday at Benson's Park in Hudson, N.H. when they enjoyed a picnic, the two live in different houses in different states and like it that way.

Q. How is love different now than when you were young?


A. When you're young, you think you're in love, but you're really in lust and then it turns into love. In your 60s it's the same thing really. Just the other day Greg asked me if I thought I'd ever feel like this again. You know - like a teenager. Our kids are kind of disgusted by that - you know - the sexual stuff. So in that way, love is the same. But what's different is that we have a whole life behind us. We look at things differently. If I haven't seen him in a while, I can't wait to see him again, but I'm okay if I don't. I like my independence. I like my me time. I got used to that after my husband died. That's different than when you're young and you feel like you're going to die if you don't see each other every minute. I know in my heart I love Greg, but I also know I could live without him if I had to. But I don't want to.  He's it for me. I know that.

Hudson, N.H.

Sam and Hope - 16

There are those who think there's no way a teenager could know what love really is.  But many a wise person, including William Shakespeare, would disagree.  Juliet was more tween than teen when she fell for her Romeo.  And while not quite Verona, Hayward's Ice Cream in Nashua, New Hampshire, has been the summer setting for the young and the smitten for more than 70 years.

Q. Do you think you know what love is? And if so, what is it?

A. "Absolutely," said Sam.  "It's got nothing to do with age. It's any feeling which brings two humans together.  Love is a connection.  I know more about her than I do about myself.  Love is literally everything." Hope also is sure that she knows what love is.  "Love is Sam," she said without missing a beat. "When I first loved him as a friend, I thought he was perfect. Then when I started dating him I found out he wasn't perfect and I loved him more."

Nashua, N.H.

Ben and Michaela

There are those who think there's no way a teenager could know what love really is.  But many a wise person, including William Shakespeare, would disagree.  Juliet was more tween than teen when she fell for her Romeo.  And while not quite Verona, Hayward's Ice Cream in Nashua has been the summer setting for the young and the smitten for more than 70 years.  Ben, 18 and Michaela, 17 just starting dating.

Q. Do you think you know what love is? And if so, what is it?

A. "I don't know if I know," said Michaela. "But if I had to guess, I'd say it's when you care more about another person than you do about yourself." Ben said,  "I think I know. What love is for me is the feeling of emotion and attraction to a person - to the entire person with every fiber of your soul."

Q. What do you like most about each other?
A. "He makes me laugh," said Michaela. "She's cute as a button," said Ben.

Nashua, N.H.