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Linda Hoenigsberg's avatar

This reminds me of years ago when I felt irritated that my husband had pulled a chair out to sit and put on his shoes, then left the house without pushing it back in, leaving to do it when I had to walk through our "tight" dining room. As I began to push the chair in, I thought about asking him to start doing it when he got home. Then I thought, "Love would just push the chair in." Another thing I do is fold back the covers on his side of the bed and fluff his pillow. I put the book he's reading on the nightstand. He does similar things for me. I can count on it. And it feels like love.

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Michael Thompson's avatar

I love everything about this especially the "Love would just push the chair in" and there is something very comforting about the words "I can count on it." There are a few things my wife does that used to annoy me that now I smile at whenever I see it. And lord knows that street goes both ways as I'm not easy to live with.

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Linda Hoenigsberg's avatar

I’ll never forget a story I read (during some rabbit trail I was on) about a wife who would lock the front door before bed and her husband would ask her if she had one it. “Yes,” she replied. Then he would go check to see if it was locked anyway. She was very irritated at this, until one day she thought, “My husband is a door checker.” She thought about all the other things he did to keep her safe. She realized that the part of him that asked and then checked for himself was the same part of him that was caring for her welfare.

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James Bailey's avatar

This reply and your first reply are so beautiful. 🙏

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Linda Hoenigsberg's avatar

Thanks, James!

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Shoaib Ahmed's avatar

I love this story every time I read it.

I never noticed my wife did the same until after I read your story the first time. I said love is water when I realised and she looked at me strangely. So I showed her this story and then she understood... Love is water.

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Michael Thompson's avatar

Thank you Shoaib as I think it's my all-time favorite. And four years later, I'm not sure we've missed a night of doing this no matter how tired we are. Warms me hearing your reflection on it.

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Susan Weatherhead's avatar

A beautiful reminder. Love is in the smallest of details. It’s in those little gestures and acts of kindness for each other…day in and day out…year after year.

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Michael Thompson's avatar

The longer I'm married the more I'm convinced that these rituals are what keeps our marriage going. Small little things everyday create great things.

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James Bailey's avatar

Every time you act on these rituals you add a thread to the tapestry of your marriage. And every time you add a thread, that one individual thread may not feel beautiful by itself, but when woven with all the others through time, it becomes exquisite. And every tapestry is completely unique.

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fi fyza kahani's avatar

Love is more quiet than we're told

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Michael Thompson's avatar

Such a great thought. Thank you for sharing it.

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Shlee's avatar

It really is all the little things, isn’t it?

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Shlee's avatar

Very sweet 💜

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Marilyn Graham Werden's avatar

Thanks. Reminds me to be grateful for the love I have.

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Tree Langdon's avatar

Sweet ritual. Thanks for sharing

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Jane Pilger's avatar

What a powerful story. It's often those little things that say so much. The way those that know us better than anyone else can anticipate and know just what we need so that we can understand we aren't alone.

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Tory Haughton's avatar

Beautiful. It’s noticing the little things and appreciating them that keeps the love alive.

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Ryan Delaney's avatar

Brilliant illustration of love, Michael. Thanks for the peek inside your life.

My partner almost always puts the driver seat back to where it was after driving my car to accommodate my longer legs.

As you so beautifully illustrate, small things in a relationship matter. What else is there?

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Michael Thompson's avatar

"My partner almost always puts the driver seat back to where it was after driving my car to accommodate my longer legs." this is the new "toilet seat up." I love this Ryan and I'll start doing the same.

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Mohika Mudgal's avatar

Ahhh!!! This made me smile and tear up! 💜💜💜 So much love to you both!

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Michael Thompson's avatar

Right back at you Mohika. I'm glad it resonated.

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James Bailey's avatar

Michael - I’m finally catching up today after our great morning session. This essay was so heartwarming and beautifully written. You do things like that. 😁

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Michael Thompson's avatar

Hey thanks James. I had a blast on Friday and glad you liked this one.

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Arvind Patil's avatar

So relatable, thank you for sharing highly captivating story. Michael, you got a skill to engage audience with story telling👌

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Michael Thompson's avatar

I really appreciate that Arvind.

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Kyle Fisk's avatar

Beautiful. I love the simplicity of this demonstration of love, the small thoughtful action that speaks eloquently.

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Michael Thompson's avatar

Thank you Kyle.

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Nicole Lawyer's avatar

What you two have is a beautiful love , that we all admire and pray to have some day. Thank you for this reminder that love comes in all forms.

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Michael Thompson's avatar

Thank you Nicole. I really appreciate you taking the time.

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