100 Small Acts of Love (2024)

Whenever my wife or I brush our teeth in the evening, we put toothpaste on the other person’s toothbrush and place a floss pick on the handle. It’s a small way to show we’re thinking of each other!

– Nick Paik, Flushing, N.Y.

My husband writes me 365 love notes a year. Many of the topics are small, funny inside jokes. Others are big and deep.

– Kelly Whitaker, Golden Valley, Minn.

My girlfriend and I both love to read on vacation. Once, on a camping trip, I finished my book early. She was halfway through a hefty novel and ripped out the first hundred pages to give to me. This tradition of giving each other “leaflets” has allowed us to share our favorite books, and the trips we read them on, that much more closely.

– Laura Birnbaum, Washington, D.C.

When my wife comes to bed late, I lay out her pajamas on her side of the bed.

– Tim Kelly, Okinawa, Japan

Every night, my husband of 32 years makes sure my devices are plugged in so that everything is fully charged when I wake in the morning.

– Katerina Canyon, Jersey City

My husband always picks me up at the airport when I travel solo. He parks his car and comes in to wait for me. I travel a lot for work, and it makes me feel deeply loved every time.

– Sara Berens, Phoenix

Today, every day, and on Valentine’s Day, I will visit my wife of 56 years. We are separated by her dementia. I will tell her what’s been going on outside, as I spoon-feed her in her care-home hospital bed. She says, “Thank you,” when I tell her I love her. We both know she would say more, if only she could. We have had a great life together, ever since the second grade. She is slowly leaving, I know that. But we’re a pair until then.

– Gene Lock, Sacramento, Calif.

– Susan Parker, Oakland, Calif.

Until we met, my husband thought tucking someone in at bedtime meant pushing the covers under them so they resembled a mummy. More than seven years after I corrected this notion, he still gently tucks the blanket under the edges of my body every night.

– Lara Wagner, Atlanta

My husband and I have two small kids. Every weekend, he lets me sleep in as late as I want. I usually wake up, refreshed and happy, to a cup of coffee and apple pancakes. I cannot imagine anything better.

– Christine Gockel, Berlin, Germany

My husband and I welcomed our first child in August. Throughout the day, he’ll bring me water or tea to make sure I’m hydrated. Snacks are always replenished for middle of the night feedings and pumping.

– Cristina Lin, San Jose, Calif.

We both enjoy birdwatching. For Christmas, my boyfriend bought me a hummingbird feeder. Whenever he comes over, he checks it and refills it with nectar that he makes.

– Virginia Terhaar, Portland, Ore.

My fabulous husband of 22 years always tells me how pretty I look, even when I’m lying around in sloppy clothes and no makeup.

– Harriet Ulrich, Reston, Va.

My fella and I kiss each other every time we get in and out of the car. It’s our love toll.

– Kate Samson, Ardmore, Pa.

We live in a house from the 1800s with a poor heating system. In the evening, my husband fills a hot water bottle and puts it at the foot of our bed so when I get in, the sheets are toasty warm.

– Emily Franklin, Boston

For more than 21 years, my husband has given me the last bite of his dessert, always.

– Jennifer Grissom, Los Angeles

For about a decade, all my wife has wanted for Christmas was for me to get a colonoscopy. This year, she got what she asked for. Now that’s love.

– Doug Raboy, New York City

We both have trouble with insomnia. In the middle of the night, when we’re so tired but can’t sleep, we hold hands. It really helps us both fall back asleep.

– Rachel Goodwin, Durham, N.C.

We use electric toothbrushes but only keep one charger out. Each of us puts the other’s toothbrush onto the charger after we brush our teeth. A small but enduring reminder that our last thought was of each other.

– Deb Larney, Oak Lawn, Ill.

We try to go to bed at the same time. It is a sweet, calm time to process the day, look at each other, talk about life and connect!

– Lori McMahon, Longmeadow, Mass.

My husband was diagnosed with cognitive decline in 2020. Every day, I show my love by making sure he’s OK — taking him to doctor’s appointments, finding the words he is struggling to find and helping him to make decisions. Love can be shown in thousands of ways. You don’t need boxes of chocolates, flowers or gifts. You need compassion, empathy and grace.

– Linda Basilick, Clermont, Fla.

I am a teacher in a public school. My husband is retired. Every morning at 6:50, he takes my work and lunch bags out to the car. Then he warms up the car and pulls it out of the garage for me.

– Lori Bricks, Princeton, N.J.

We have a morning ritual. We bring each other coffee and say, “Here you go, Toots!” and kiss.

– Dan Leibowitz, Kentfield, Calif.

Every night before we turn off the lights, we hold hands and are quiet together. No goals, no expectations, no requirements and, most importantly, no words. We just celebrated 30 years together.

– Peggy Newland, Portsmouth, N.H.

When my partner travels for work, we each write daily notes in a small journal that we share with one another when he returns. It’s just little things about the day that we’d have said out loud if we were together.

– Brook Ewing Minner, Brooksville, Maine

When we give thanks before a meal, we hold hands — even when we’re angry. This year, we will celebrate 30 years of marriage.

– Amy O’Dowd, Ithaca, N.Y.

We say, “I love you” every time one of us leaves the house. It seems small, but after almost 17 years of marriage, I would feel like I had left my keys behind if I hadn’t said it.

– Kate Reymann, Salt Lake City

My husband has successfully learned my hunger cues. He will insist on making me a grilled cheese or egg-and-cheese sandwich, even when I halfheartedly say, “No, you don’t have to.” Basically, cheese is the way to my heart.

– Megan Margino Marchese, Setauket, N.Y.

My boyfriend and I make a point to brush our teeth together just before bed. We’re currently long distance, but getting on FaceTime to do something as mundane as brushing our teeth has made us feel connected, even while we’re apart.

– Grace Mierl, Houston

I do my best to listen without interrupting or offering unsolicited advice.

– Bruce Weinstein, New York City

My husband knows I love to drink water throughout the day. Every morning, I find my 32 ounce water bottle in the fridge filled with fresh lemon slices and water. People often comment on the water when they see the lemons floating around, and it makes me think of how much I love him.

– Mary Nevin, Manchester Center, Vt.

My husband is Filipino, and I am not, so I learned to cook pancit, a noodle dish his mother made. It makes him happy. We cut vegetables, chop meat, then assemble the dish, always refining our understanding of it. It’s like love — it gets better every time.

– Muffie Alejandro, Los Angeles

My husband has been in a nursing home since 2021. I bring him a sausage, egg and cheese on asiago bagel every Sunday morning, continuing our tradition of going out for Sunday breakfast.

– Marile Waterstraat, Macedon, N.Y.

My precious husband, to whom I was married for 46 glorious years, passed away six years ago. But not a day has gone by since when I haven’t blown a kiss to the photograph of him that I keep on my bedroom table.

– Karen Strauss, New Rochelle, N.Y.

He does the chores I dislike: taking out the trash, catching bugs, making last-minute grocery store trips. I know they aren’t his favorite things to do, but he does them for me.

– Anna Tosone Innis, Tampa, Fla.

My husband does the grocery shopping, and he frequently buys me a funny card while he’s there. The more obscure, the better. Like, “Congrats on your retirement!” (We’re both 34.) Or, “Have a blessed baptism!” (We’re not religious.) I always feel a little brighter after receiving them.

– Abby Goldsmith, St. Louis, Mo.

Every morning, I make our bed as a simple ritual honoring our most intimate shared space. Not many people around the world have the chance to be in same-sex relationships and to feel peaceful and safe. I honor our luck and love by making our bed.

– Saba Gvetadzé, Brooklyn, N.Y.

Every night before we go to sleep, my boyfriend and I tell each other our high, low and “best bite” of the day. When we are both busy with work, it is a great way to talk about the key points of our day. We also both love food, so highlighting our meals makes it special.

– Sarah Feldman, London

My husband has A.L.S. and is in a wheelchair. Every night, I carefully lift his legs into bed, adjust his pillows and blankets, and make sure he has everything he needs for the night. I hate that we can’t sleep in the same bed anymore, but these intimate acts help keep us close.

– Lucia Athens, Austin, Texas

My husband of almost 33 years buys me books he thinks I’ll like. Whenever he gives them to me, he says, “I got you flowers.”

– Kris Dinnison, Spokane, Wash.

I usually go to bed before my partner. While I get ready, he fills my water bottle, sets out my medication, turns on my lamp and turns down the bed. It’s small, but it makes me feel very seen.

– Andra Turner, Denver

My wife and I try to be playful. An arm fell off of our daughter’s doll, and we started hiding it for each other to find around the house. Sometimes it’s hidden for months. We don’t acknowledge that we’ve found it, we just hide it again. It’s slightly unnerving to find a small severed arm in your sweater drawer when the weather turns cool, but it always makes us smile.

– Matt Moody, Cold Spring, N.Y.

I have half a banana for breakfast, and my husband always carves a heart on the cut end.

– Jill Black, Kalispell, Mont.

My spouse is driven bonkers when our recycling bins don’t have their lids on, and I could not care less. However, I care about him. So every time I pull the bins up from the street, I fight with those darn lids until they’re securely fastened. He notices.

– Marin Cherry, Mamaroneck, N.Y.

My husband sets the table for my breakfast the next morning, every night — no matter how tired he is, or how late it is. He even folds my napkin so it looks extra “fancy.”

– Rachel Abouras, Longview, Texas

Every morning, my husband and I walk our dog together. It’s a non-negotiable in our marriage and allows us to connect — in nature, without technology —before we truly start our days.

– Abby Rosenau, Westport, Conn.

I have an Alexa reminder set at 6:30 p.m. every day that says: “Time to hug your wife.” When we’re both home, we give each other a good hug. When we’re not together, I text: “I’m hugging you.”

– Lawrence Marsh, Boulder, Colo.

My husband often saves part of a cookie or treat, from work or an event, and wraps it in a napkin so I can try it. It’s usually smooshed and unappetizing by the time it gets home, but I love that he thinks I will like it!

– Cindy Yang, Orinda, Calif.

My partner and I manage our relationship between two different cities. Every time I fly to him, I fold a small origami paper crane. (Sometimes I forget origami paper and have to get creative with the pages of the in-flight magazine.) He has kept every single one, as a reminder that we’re never more than a short flight away.

– Rhiannon Mabberley, Vancouver, B.C.

My husband and I joke that our love language is chores. He never gets me flowers, but he takes care of tasks around the house with a smile. I’d take that over gifts any day.

– Karen Acker, Jenkintown, Pa.

My husband and I have been married for 16 years, and we recently started taking dance lessons together. First, we learned the waltz, then the foxtrot. Now we are learning East Coast swing. There is an intimacy in dancing, and a vulnerability in not knowing the steps, but figuring them out together. It’s a lot like marriage. Now we sometimes find ourselves waltzing in the kitchen while we wait for dinner to come out of the oven.

– Lorene Duffy, Oak Park, Calif.

When one of us makes the other coffee or tea and serves it in the green mug, it has become a simple, wordless way of saying, “I love you.”

– Lauren Ballinger, Seattle

My husband brings me a box of fruity Tic Tacs when he stocks the house with groceries most every weekend. They are my favorite, and I smile every time I find them on the kitchen table. When I thank him, he says, “I was thinking of you.”

– Heidi Busse, Bloomington, Minn.

I hate waking up early, so my husband wakes up every day with our elementary school-aged daughter and drives her to school. The morning alarm on his phone has a notification that says, “Tell Melissa, ‘I love you.’” He does every morning, without fail.

– Melissa Bloomfield, Atlanta

We play a game every night. It has changed over the years — backgammon, dice, dominoes — but the ritual is cherished. It used to be our way to reconnect after being apart all day, or to have a few minutes together away from the kids. Now we are empty nesters, and it serves as a little reminder of our journey.

– Elizabeth Shaw, Park City, Utah

When it is cold outside and we get in the car together, I realize that I should turn on my seat heater. Inevitably when I reach down to do it, he has already done it for me.

– Pooja Mittal, Redwood City, Calif.

My partner and I take turns dropping our child off at school. On the way home, every so often, we’ll surprise each other with a latte, a baked good or both. As a middle-aged parent, this is a great joy!

– Caitlin Thomas, New York City

I cook breakfast every morning. When we got engaged, he said: “If you cook breakfast, I’ll do everything else.” I know a good deal when I see one.

– Susan Ashworth, Austin, Texas

My boyfriend meets me almost every day at 4 a.m. during my 10- or 11-mile run. It doesn’t matter if it is 10 degrees out or 90, I know I can depend on him to be there in the dark. We catch up, then he walks home and I continue on my way. I love our early morning walks under the stars.

– Pamela Simboli, Grand View-on-Hudson, N.Y.

When my cancer diagnosis recurred this fall, my husband of 54 years began folding 1,000 origami cranes. Legend says that they will bring good luck and good health. We have installed them in our hallway as a constant reminder of hope and joy. They are beautiful to look at, and they also seem to be working, as I am responding to treatment.

– Jane Berke, Alpharetta, Ga.

My apartment is in a walk-up building. When my girlfriend comes over, she runs up the stairs, loudly enough that I can hear from inside. I love this show of excitement, culminating in a big hug at the top.

– Carter Janssen, Brooklyn, N.Y.

We pray for and with each other, pausing every morning before we part company!

– Vicki Hale, Queens, N.Y.

When we hold hands, my husband and I give each other three squeezes to say, “I love you.”

– Ren McMullin, Las Vegas

Married 52 years. We always kiss when we’re alone in elevators.

– Marilyn Schwarzkopf, Jefferson, Iowa

My boyfriend is a night owl and often scrolls Instagram after I’m asleep, “liking” the posts he thinks I’d enjoy. In the morning, we drink coffee in bed while enjoying his curated collection of video clips — many amusing, some touching and others awe-inspiring. It’s a great way to start the day.

– Jo Becker, New York City

Whenever one of us goes on a trip, we leave little notes behind in unexpected places for the other to find.

– Amy Sarjeant, Princeton, N.J.

Whoever takes a shower first squeegees the glass, floor and walls sometimes — because it’s much nicer to get into a clean, dry shower.

– Evelyn Williams, Cross Junction, Va.

My husband and I say, “Thank you ...” and then insert something specific. Tonight it was, “Thank you for buying more cat food," and “Thank you for making ice cream.” I’m always touched to find out what really touched him.

– Marya Machart, Hamilton, Mass.

I hate the sound of liquids being stirred or shaken. So whenever my husband stirs or shakes something, he shouts, “La la la la!” to protect my sensitive ears. (I’ve actually learned to manage my aversion, but I don’t tell him, because I think his off-tune singing is adorable.)

– Emily Strahler, Bethlehem, N.H.

Offhandedly, my husband said that he felt loved when his socks were ready to put on. Since then, I roll his socks into pairs.

– Chris Jacques, Golden, Colo.

My husband runs into the bathroom every morning to hand me my towel when I’m done with my shower. He says he’s my cabana boy.

– Leslie Walaska Baxter, Warwick, R.I.

My partner, Wendy, has mailed me a handwritten love letter every week in the three years we’ve been together. She writes them in cards that she secretly buys when we travel together. It’s like a hug in my mailbox.

– Cath Busha, Vancouver, Wash.

My husband of 30-some years lets me put my cold hands on his body to warm them. We are a husband-and-wife oyster-farming team, so in the winter this is especially endearing.

– Cindy West, South Kingstown, R.I.

Six years ago my husband gifted me a most unromantic appliance: a cordless vacuum. He did, however, offer it with an operator. He uses it every day, and I love him for it!

– Kim Carlson, Friday Harbor, Wash.

Every time my girlfriend calls me, I answer the phone by saying, “It’s the most beautiful woman in the world!”

– Jeremiah Whitten, Minneapolis

I am living abroad away from my partner, so we record little songs for each other using the voice feature of WhatsApp. Neither of us can sing, so it makes us giggle, but it also warms the heart.

– Meg Montgomery, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates

Our 35th anniversary will be in July and, still, whoever gets in the car first leans over and opens the other’s door from the inside.

– Elizabeth Hornor Boquet, Lausanne, Switzerland

My husband and I got married on June 7, 30 years ago. Every month on the seventh, we like to wish each other a happy anniversary — and be the first to do it. Most often, he beats me to it.

– Patricia Davis, Westbrook, Conn.

I agree to sit and meditate with him, even though it doesn’t do much for me. He’s more likely to do it because I join him.

– Cate Campbell, Missoula, Mont.

I was diagnosed with a vitamin D deficiency a few years ago. My husband began taking out two capsules and leaving them for me in a tiny dish in our bathroom. It was a gentle reminder to take my vitamins and stay healthy. The gesture feels like a very sweet, “I love you.” When I take the pills and he’s in earshot, I say, “I love you, too.”

– Cynthia Copeland, Pasadena, Calif.

My husband loves new bars of soap, so when I need to replace mine, I take his and give him the new one.

– Shannon Moise, British Columbia, Canada

My husband takes me to the train station to ease my commute. He works from home, so he could easily sleep in. In turn, I cook bacon for him on the days I work from home. I hate bacon, but if that’s what it takes to say thank you, I will do it for him.

– Denise Roosendaal, Manassas, Va.

Since the ’90s, Friday night has been date night in our home. It used to mean a trip to Blockbuster; now, it’s a scroll of the streaming services. Dinner at its best is homemade waffles and prosecco, though sometimes we get takeout. The routine has survived 13 moves, from Oregon to London.

– Jesse Finch Gnehm, London

Almost every weekday, my work-from-home partner sends me a picture of them snuggling with my cat. It brings me joy to know they’re cozy together in our home while I’m off at work.

– Marianna Hane Wiles, Portland, Ore.

My husband puts my towels in the dryer in the morning. He then brings me toasty towels.

– Janet Van Winkle, Phoenix

We give each other a 20-second hug in the morning. We quietly squeeze each other close and breathe in and out. Sometimes a child or the dog joins.

– Meg Freedman, Denver

Two years ago, when I was diagnosed with a cancer recurrence, my husband took over doing my laundry. He is still doing it. My heart aches with love when I see my underpants neatly folded in their drawer, separated into two piles: prints on one side and solids on the other.

– Deborah DeMille-Wagman, Bethesda, Md.

My husband and I are avid crossword players and often work on a puzzle together. One difference: He likes to use a mechanical pencil. I’m old school and use a No. 2. My husband keeps them sharpened for me. He never says he does it, but they are always nice and ready.

– Enrose Anton, Sacramento, Calif.

Every morning when we wake up, I look at my fiancée and ask her: “Do you know what today is?” She smiles as I respond to my own question: “Today is the best day of my life!” It’s a shtick, but it’s also true. Both of us are late-in-life gays. Every day of living my truth is the best day of my life.

– Azza Cohen, Washington D.C.

My husband of 35 years is recovering from a stroke. I like to rub lotion on his dry feet and hands as a way to make caring contact that is not driven by his recovery or my caregiving.

– Alix Shafer, Tempe, Ariz.

My husband lost his job 10 months ago. Every morning I walk over to his desk, where he has been filling out applications since 5 a.m. I kiss him and tell him I’m proud of him.

– Sharon O’Brien-Paddon, New York City

We shower together, almost every time, and have for over 35 years. Before one of us steps out, we hug, let the water run over us, and say, “I love you.”

– Kathryn Reinhardt, Willsboro, N.Y.

My husband always makes sure that my car’s gas tank is full, the windshield wipers are in good shape and the fluids are topped off. That’s his way of telling me that he’ll never leave me stranded.

– Diane Norman, Herndon, Va.

On Sunday nights, I make a loaf of bread just big enough to get us through the work week. Every day, my husband makes us sandwiches to take to work, carefully slicing the loaf. He says, “Who loves you, baby?” I say, “You do!”

– Alison Hunter, Chicago

Whenever my glasses are smudged, my boyfriend, a life-long glasses wearer, stops what he is doing to expertly wipe them.

– Samantha Stevens, Atlanta

We hold hands when we walk together. Always. It’s a public announcement of long love.

– Martha Linde, New York City

My husband and I have been married for 43 years. He is not big on presents or daily expressions of love, but he will drive me anywhere — the airport, doctor’s appointments, shopping trips, wherever I want or need to go. And he will patiently wait for me. This way of expressing his love speaks volumes, and it has become especially precious as we grow older together.

– Jill Dunsmore, New York City

We live in a rural area and have no walkway from the garage to our front door. My husband always stops the car in front of our home, so I can walk down the sidewalk to the front door, while he parks the car in the garage.

– Margaret Kohl, Green Township, N.J.

We live in different cities and have different work schedules, so we talk on the phone three times a day: during my lunch hour, during his lunch hour and right before I go to bed.

– Katrina Alison Jaggears, Stockton, Calif.

I began writing my wife a daily poem, starting the first time I kissed her a decade and an half ago. I’ve never missed a day, and she’s kept all 5,000-plus of them. Some are silly, others serious. Mostly, they keep us connected day after day, word after word.

– Kevin Fuller, Minneapolis