There is nothing more delicious than falling in love with someone new and the excitement it fuels in the imagination, not to mention elsewhere in the body. But while sex is generally a prominent part of the game plan between two healthy individuals, for some it is an issue that becomes more complex and less a certainty as we age.

It’s one thing to be ready and eager to dive into the sack with the new love of your life, but it’s quite another thing entirely to find out the feeling is not mutual. That is not to say that he or she is lacking in affection for you, but that, perhaps, in the scheme of things, time, health, or whatever else have absconded with his/her libido. In spite of this problem, you’ve decided you don’t want anyone else. You know how much this individual has come to mean to you on so many levels, and if sex is not one of them, well—nothing is perfect, after all.

This could be viewed as bad news, but it is not necessarily terminal. So, before you call the game on account of there is none, a heart-to-heart between you is very much in order. While medical science can sometimes provide a solution for such issues, often the individual in question is satisfied with the way things are. He or she admits to being perfectly happy to replace the sex act at this stage of life with a lot of hugging and kissing and handholding. If this is the case with your relationship, and you’ve decided this is a decision you can live with, it is now time to get creative, and consider alternatives to sex—activities that you can do as a couple to nurture the intimacy level of your relationship so you will hardly notice the loss of the big “O.”

Here are a few ideas to get you started on your life of love without sex:

1. When driving home together one evening, find a secluded place, park the car, and make out like mad. It will take you back to your days in school when love was fresh, and even forbidden.
2. Prepare a candlelight dinner for two in a lovely setting, even at home. Play soft romantic music, and invite the other to dance.
3. Bring breakfast in bed to your sweetheart.
4. Take a walk in the park together, or a bike ride along a lake or ocean front.
5. Write a letter of love, expressing how you feel about your partner.
6. Always be ready with a smile or a laugh.
7. Listen to whatever your partner has to share with you.
8. Offer words of encouragement, on whatever is the issue at hand.
9. Give a surprise gift of something you have made, or something you know your sweetheart wants or needs.
10. Remember special occasions with a note or flowers or simply kind words.
11. Take a trip to somewhere that is special for both of you, or somewhere you’ve never been.
12. Walk in a scenic place together at sunset, and make plans for the future.
13. Confide a secret to your loved one that you have never spoken of before.
14. Brag about him or her in their presence, so they know how highly they are regarded.
15. Fill every day with hugs, kisses, words of affection, and deeds that prove your feelings are genuine.
16. Cuddle in bed, and hold hands as you fall asleep. Or spoon. And alternate between your favorite sleep positions. 
17. Participate in his or her favorite activities together.
18. Be aware of the needs of the other, and try to satisfy them whenever possible.
19. Keep a bit of mystery about you, but never about your feelings for the other.
20. If the need for sexual activity becomes an issue for either of you, the other might consider ways to satisfy his/her partner’s needs with a variety of the obvious options.