Mr Anniversary Gift

In interviews, Denise Richards used to rave about how then-husband Charlie Sheen showered her with flowers, jewelry, and even Manolo Blahniks, and how she knew on her second date that he was "the one."

Meanwhile, she dismissed his troubled past -- a drug overdose, a well-publicized association with a certain Hollywood madam -- explaining that she didn't like to have preconceived notions about people because she didn't like it when people had them about her.

Here's the thing: We're conditioned to believe that love should hit us over the head like a thunderbolt and be punctuated with a trail of red roses. But the true lifeblood of a relationship isn't the jewelry and flower arrangements, it's the day-to-day mundane activities that make up a shared life.

No one's saying that you shouldn't cherish all the presents and romantic surprises your partner gives you. But there's a difference between over-the-top romance, which can't be sustained, and the sweet gestures that truly stand the test of time -- such as the way Pierce Brosnan reportedly brings wife Keely Smith breakfast in bed with a single flower from their garden every day.

After all, anyone can pick out diamonds or a dozen roses, but a guy who holds your head when you're sick, picks up your favorite ice cream from the store "just because," and has a solid track record of good behavior to boot -- he's really the one.

Labels: celebrity couples, love lessons