Even if that “love of your life” ran far away from you with your best friend ten years ago, leaving you defeated and alone, all is not lost.

There are many other fish in the sea, and one could be your next sole mate, er, soul mate. Sorry.

Illawarra residents believe true love can strike twice, according to a survey on love released just in time for Valentine’s Day by the Illawarra Regional Information Service (IRIS).

More than 60 per cent of respondents agreed with the proposition that there’s more than one true love in a person’s life. Almost one in five said there’s not, one in five aren’t sure. They may soon find out.

A practical lot we are, down here on the coast. Recently single? Well there’s no need to torture yourself with melancholy and woe-is-me misery. Save that for when you have teenagers.

Romantic fatalism is a waste of time. Get out there and find the next love of your life. Who knows, this could be just the beginning of several beautiful friendships.

The other surprising revelation from the survey is how many people say they are satisfied with their love life. Almost 70 per cent of respondents claimed to be satisfied.

Nonetheless, scoring over two-thirds in the satisfaction stakes is pretty good going. Clearly the lovers of the Illawarra are making a pretty good show of it, and the gourmet restaurants, hidden-away beaches, breakfast in bed recipes and romantic headland picnics will be getting a good workout this Sunday.

Either that, or we just have low expectations, and have gradually given up hope of that trés ro-man-tique stuff.

Maybe people are happy enough to just count their blessings.

Given the survey found more than 56 per cent of single respondents said it is “getting harder to find an eligible partner these days”, perhaps those who have found a partner are simply counting themselves lucky. Wearing the beer goggles. Forgiving their more filthy habits. Better the devil you know.

Makes you wonder, though, with what is “these days” being compared? How far back do these single exploits stretch?

Were these respondents chasing a date at Here’s Cheers when its ski chalet interiors once gave over-40s a graceful place to run out the clock, down on Victoria St?

Did they come from a less picky era when life was simple, conversation was optional and suitors felt flattered just for the attention?

Or were their glory days in the first year of university, when the constant residential college pub crawls gave every young debutant a chance to find a “date” through the boozy haze? Perhaps it does get harder to find a partner in adulthood. Avoid that phase at all costs.

Sadly, IRIS’s survey also found about 15 per cent said they were not satisfied with their love lives. Unlikely they’ll be spending up big this weekend. 

Meanwhile, 16.3 per cent were “neutral” on the question. Yep, people who had no opinion on whether or not they were happy. If you’re unhappy and you don’t know it, clap your hands. You might as well.

I suspect a robotics faculty prank where someone though it would be funny to call the IRIS phone survey line during the poll.

But the satisfied rating (68.3 per cent to be exact) is still pleasing. And it’s a high enough number that it can’t just be the blokes. Lovers of the region, someone’s doing something right.

Of course, as they say, there’s more than 50 ways to leave your lover, or something. IRIS Research consulting manager Peter Watts said the satisfaction rating could apply to a wide range of people, and a wide range of love lives.

“We deliberately did not define ‘love life’ so the response is a very personal interpretation for each respondent,” he said.

There is hope for everyone – the single, the promiscuous, and the unsure. Even those who are coupled up, and unhappy. Just stop wishing for more, and call it satisfaction. Plenty swear by it.