A couple has explained how they found love despite their 45-year age gap.
Love has no boundaries, or age, it seems because author and photographer Sarah Bauer, 31, has never been happier since meeting retired Rand Fiory, 75, in July 2017 on a CouchSurfing app.
Sarah was on a four-month solo trip around the US and stayed with Rand for five days, hitting it off right away.
When she arrived back home in Germany, the pair kept in touch and Sarah struggled to re-adjust to life after her travels, so she decided to become self-employed.
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Rand supported her throughout this tricky time and a year later, she went to visit him in the US.
After meeting again, they fell in love and while Sarah felt confused about her feelings, Rand didn't think twice about their ages.
The couple began joking about their age difference, bantering that Sarah was charging $10,000 a night and Rand saying that she was 'worth every penny', or that she was waiting for Rand 'the millionaire' to die.
However, through these jokes, the couple overcame any prejudicial views of their connection and they've been happy ever since.
Speaking about their connection, she said: "I had this stupid barrier in my head which was put in by society, upbringing, role models, which said age gaps are only okay until maybe 10-15 years of difference but not 45 years.
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"But then I asked myself 'why am I thinking this?' And I realised that it was not really my own thought but something I had learned from other people."
And when Sarah dug down deep, she realised that she wanted to be with Rand: "When I asked myself and my heart, the answer was clear.
"I loved him for his humour, his brains, his spirit, his interests which were matching mine 99%. And I thought, the heck with other people and conventions - this is my life and my happiness, and I will just go for it because what do I have to lose anyway."
Rand didn't have much hesitation about the relationship, saying: "What age gap?"
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He added: "Studies in psychology have shown that most older people do not recognise their age overtly, and they think of themselves as being around 28 or so when they talk to others. It takes a conscious effort to realise that they are old. I am no exception to this.
"Even our friends, both young and old, all seem to ignore the age gap when talking with us.
"We joked about it initially, but it has never been a problem."
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Topics: News, US News, Sex and Relationships, Life