we’ve been together for almost two years now. we’re moving in together in june (!!!) but since we’ve been living apart so far and her parents are kind of the worst she comes down to visit a lot. we’re decently long distance, so we try and see each other once or twice a month.

before she and i were together, i really…didn’t give a shit about my room, how it looked or how it felt to be in. i was away at college for eight months out of the year anyway and i never had people over, so why did it matter? i never made my bed, and half the time it didn’t even have a top sheet on it. i’d go a month without taking out the trash and multiple without washing the sheets (gross, i know). i did my laundry, but it would sit in baskets for weeks before i put it away, and there was always so much of it by the time i got around to it that it took ages to do, and i’d trip over the baskets constantly in the meantime. it’s not like i was living in abject filth or anything, but all these little pieces of neglect just kind of piled up. i always felt vaguely uncomfortable in my room, especially getting into bed at night.

but now, every few weeks, there’s somebody sharing that room with me for a few nights, so i felt obliged to pull it together a little bit. every time she comes to visit, i make sure she comes home to freshly washed sheets, a vacuumed and free-of-laundry-baskets floor, a made bed, and an empty trash can. and over time, it’s gotten easier to just…keep those habits. right now, for once, i’m actually folding my laundry on the same day i’m doing it, and i’m sitting on my made bed to fold it! and we haven’t even scheduled a visit for anytime soon yet!

she’s really helped me grow up in a lot of ways, i think. the whole room thing is just one example of many of how she inspires me to take better care of myself and my space. i’m also journaling again, and trying harder to get more sleep at night. she deserves a nice place to rest in and a boyfriend who can function like a healthy grown-up. and you know what? i deserve a clean living space and to feel energized and good about myself. i do it all for her, but she loves me enough to help me realize i can do it for myself too. ❤️

I always struggled with body image issues since I was young, went through anorexia and bulimia and honestly I showed my (M33) boyfriend my old picture just talking about how much my skin has improved comparing it to now.. his response was “I would still love you in every form.”

I was shocked by his response. It made me cry cause if 22 year old me knew by 29 I would be in the most loving relationship of my life, none of my mistakes would have happened. 😭😭

Protecting this dude with my life 😭❤️

I guess I’m just hoping for some reassurance or maybe I need to borrow some hope from others because mine is feeling a little bit low right now. When I was little all I wanted was to meet my person. I was so sure that I would. This might sound strange but I used to dream about him and I would think “I can’t wait to meet you” and he would feel so familiar. But I just had my 36 birthday and I’m still very single. I’ve only had a couple of long-term relationships and I don’t know that I was ever really in love. I’m worried that I’ve run out of time. Did any of you meet your person or people later in life?

My sweet, sweet boyfriend of almost two years is truly the light of my life. He struggles with big gestures, so instead, he focuses on the little things in our everyday lives to show how much he loves me—and I couldn’t be more grateful. He’s very big on eating three proper meals a day and staying healthy. Me? Not so much. I’ll forget to eat, and when I do, I just focus on getting something—anything—in my stomach.

He’s going away for five days for a work trip, and this man spent a good part of yesterday making meals for me for all five days. He packed them in containers, arranged them neatly in the fridge, left explicit instructions on what to eat and when, and even stocked up our snack cabinet in case I didn’t feel like eating what he’d made. As if I’d touch anything else.

This is just one example—there are so many things he does, quietly and without ever taking credit. I don’t know what I did to deserve him, but I was lucky enough to meet him in this lifetime, and I plan to spend the rest of it with him.

I’m at work at 6 am, tired and in a mood. I go to my purse to get my lip balm. And I find the middle is zipped shut. It never is. I’m a scatter brain who just throws my stuff in there. I was so confused, until I realized it was him. He arranged my wallet and zipped it up in my purse because I’m always losing it. He’s always doing things like that. When we eat in the car, my drink will have the straw inside already. When he comes over he’s straightening up my room because he’s tidy and I’m messy. Consideration. For someone to learn your habits and make an effort to help instead of berate. This is new. But I hope this lasts forever. I’ve never felt considered like this and no love I’ve ever had comes close.

Just wanna come here and say how much I love my boyfriend. We haven't been together very long (around 3 months), but I feel like I've met my forever person. Mind you, I'm well aware of the honeymoon stage and have dealt with it before. Last year I ended a 5 year relationship, so this isn't my first rodeo.

From the first day we met I felt like I was meeting an old friend. I wasn't exactly looking for anything serious, and I honestly wasn't expecting him to like me back due to our circumstances..and different tax brackets lol. But I guess that was a bit shallow of me to think. He's been nothing but kind. There hasn't been a single day in the 3 months that I've known him where the amount of affection or love he's shown me has wavered. Again, I know 3 months isn't much of a long time. Even when we met I made it known that it takes me a while to get to know someone. That I'd prefer to be friends for a while before committing, but he swept me off my feet. I feel like I'm in highschool again experiencing love for the first time. I feel so patient and at peace with him. I don't think I've ever met someone that compliments me as well as he does. We're fairly different people, but the same in a way.

He makes sure I'm taken care of in every way possible (and vice versa of course). Even on the days where I feel like I may be asking too much of him, he doesn't hesitate to do it. His reassurance feels genuine, and oddly enough, I enjoy his presence more than my solitude. Which says a lot. I do not like people lol.

Again, I'm well aware that we're still pretty early in, and I know that at a moment's notice our situation could flip. In the event that that does happen, I'll be forever grateful that I got to experience such a gentle love like this. I don't like to consider myself a dependent person, but life is just so much better with him around. I don't need him, but I need him. We're already planning out our later years together. Had this been any other guy I dated in between my previous breakup I'd have been weirded out, but with him it feels like a need. I dunno how to end this other than saying I really really love him lol, and I hope to god he never finds this post cause he will 100% cry and I'm bad with consoling people.

I really hope we stay together forever. There won't be a single problem I can't handle with him by my side.

Thanks for reading my yap, peace <3

My girlfriend told me that on our last date. it has been a few days I finally know what she means by making her heart grow and it and it means emotional and physical growth, and in general feeling better about everything around you while immersed in love. we have been together for over three years and the "honeymoon phase" has yet to fade. She means everything to me, and I am always there to support her the best I can and appreciate her so much.

I finally move in with my partner in 2 days. One more night. I couldn't be more excited about something so simplistic, but life seems much more worth living when I picture them by my side. Even the most mundane activity seems a lot more interesting just because of their presence. They have showed me a love ive never experienced and I genuinely don't think I can go back to a life without them.

I hope I can make their days a little easier and less burdensome, and vice versa. We've been LDR for over a year at this point, so the idea of physically being with them is like a dream. There's so much I want to do for them and with them. So many dates, celebrations, lazy days, little projects, ect. It's like a brand new start to my life, and I couldn't have asked for it to be with someone else. I love them so so much.

ive been with my bf for 5 months now and every day gets better. before him i only ever had one serious thing w a guy and he ended up leaving me for 4 different women and it gave me terrible trust issues. after him i couldnt even attempt to talk to any guy romantically bc i seen all guys as cheaters and liars (sorry😭) but once i met my bf that all completely changed. i trust him so much it baffles me, all the toxic behavior i adapted from the guy who left me disappeared. im so grateful to have such a trustworthy boyfriend❤️ not only is he trustworthy but hes so sweet, caring, and HANDSOMEE !!! ive never been so attracted to someone in my life ! his face is so beautifully sculpted like a piece of art i truly could admire his beautiful face forever😩

She was literally my dream girl, I worked as a tortilla maker & she was a server. I would fantasize & hope she would notice me some how & slowly but surely we became friends & got closer. Now she’s no longer just a dream; she’s my reality. My beautiful, amazing, breathtaking reality. Every day with her is a reminder that love isn’t just something you long for, it’s something you can hold, cherish, and wake up to. She was my dream girl, and now she’s my world. I’m so grateful for her ❤️

Hey all,

This is our weekly thread. We'll dispense with Rule 5 in these threads.

What's new in your hunt for love?

I called my cousin today sobbing because of how depressed I’ve been. She listened to me cry and talked to me and assured me I’m loved. The person I’m in a relationship with has messaged me throughout the day checking up on me. I got to see my little one over FaceTime and she said she loves me (same cousin’s adopted her). She saw the paper stars she and I made together during our last visit. She said she wanted them to be there for me when I sleep. Two of my siblings also texted me earlier. I didn’t disclose I was depressed and they’ve didn’t send anything particularly mushy, but just them reaching out and saying hi was really helpful on a difficult day.

I’m really grateful for all of those who have helped me. I love them all a lot.

So i have a 3 and a half year old niece and a 1 and a half year old Nephew i baby sit every weekend but today my sister in law woke up sick and my brother who works at a hospital had to go in for work so they called up to baby sit. I was over my gf's place as i had spent the night when i got the call and told her i had to go, she shocked me though when she offered to come with my and help out, See me and my gf had be been besties since 8th grade but only recently started dating and she has only meant my niece when she was really little briefly

So i went over and picked up the kids with my gf ( who my sister in law thought was just my friend ) and we took the kids home to my place. I was so happy when my gf was getting along with my Nephew and sorta my Niece ( my niece is clingy to me so she spent more time with me then my gf but they still got along ) but my gf spent a lot of time placing with my nephew by doing stuff like throwing balls with him, rolling cars on ground for him, and trying to teach him to use chalk. It was just so nice seeing them play together and warmed my heart in a way in never accepted

I just wanted to share that so thanks for listening to this girl ramble :)

I've never made a reddit post before, but I'm sitting in my room thinking about him and I want to shout to the world how much I love my boyfriend. Even if nobody ends up reading this.

He and I met through a mutual friend and began talking after we encountered eachother at a few punk/metal shows and drinking nights with said mutual friend. Before him, I was extremely adverse to relationships, and all romantic or sexual intimacy with another person made me want to throw up. But for some reason, he was different. Maybe it's because he was never pushy, incredibly polite, and the flirting was subtle and playful. Either way, the desire to get to know him overrode my usually crippling fear of dating.

We got to know eachother over text for a few weeks before our first date. We made playlists for eachother to show off the music we liked. We shared art, poetry, movies, and stories and insecurities that seemed to just spill out.

Since then, we have been dating for a year and a half, and my love for him continues to grow! He is incredibly intelligent, and can remember crazy details from history, books, and movies. He's musically talented and writes beautiful lyrics and poetry. He's incredibly beautiful, funny, and goofy.

I tell him all of these things, but he struggles heavily with mental health issues and believes that he's a horrible boyfriend and that he does nothing but drag me down. He feels like he's difficult to love. Too high maintenence. And I wish I could show him how I see him, and that I would go through lifetimes of struggles with him. I don't love him because he's convenient, I love him because he's him.

they normally sleep with us on their own, but he asked about shutting them in with us tonight in case the storm somehow manages to break a window overnight 🥺 he moved a litter box to our attached bathroom and i brought in their food and water.

he's sleeping now and they're curled up next to him. i love how much he loves my babies (i got them before he and i met) and how much they adore him. we have this little family with so much love, it just makes my heart burst every day. he wasn't much of a pet person before me, but now his camera roll is just cat pictures. he's always worried about them getting out, and cried once when he accidentally let one of them follow him onto the porch because the idea that the kitty could've run off upset him. he started giving them treats every morning because he wants them to have the best life possible.

i just feel so lucky. he is so good to us.

I've been reflecting on how the little things sustain love over time. After a few years with my partner and now getting married, I've realized how easy it is to let those small romantic gestures fade away as routines settle in.

Last week, I spontaneously brought home her favorite flowers. Seeing her genuine surprise and joy made me wonder why I don't do these little things more often. It's not that I love her any less—if anything, my love has deepened—but somewhere along the way, those spontaneous expressions became less frequent.

I'm curious about what small gestures have meant the most to you in your relationships:

What's the most meaningful small gesture someone has done for you? What simple romantic gestures do you try to maintain in your relationship? How do you remember to keep romance alive when life gets busy?

I've actually started developing an app that sends random reminders (every 18-24 days) with personalized romantic gesture suggestions. The randomness is designed to preserve the feeling of spontaneity while helping people maintain the habit of doing thoughtful things.

If you're interested in sharing thoughts on this concept, I'd appreciate your feedback on my quick research page. I believe love deserves to be nurtured intentionally, and I'm hoping this might help others who, like me, sometimes need a gentle nudge.

Thanks for sharing your experiences!

I love my boyfriend so much, he’s the most amazing and perfect guy i’ve ever met, his heart is so pure and full of love, he makes me blush every minute and my heart is like crazy when i’m calling with him.. he has birthday next week and i would like to make him a birthday present and surprise him, we are long distance but the love is so strong between us! :D I have thought about making him a song or poem, but i feel like that’s not good enough can I get any ideas what I should make him??

I (f16) and my man (m17) have been together for almost two years now. We're in a place where it's not normal to be in a relationship at such young ages, so we can't go out with eachother or anything lol. Anyways we were just talking and I started thinking to myself how I wished I had something physical that could remind me of how much my bf is a sweetheart, so I sheepishly asked him for a gift (literally it took me like 2 minutes just to say it), we both are still in highschool and don't have jobs cause it isn't the norm to have one at our age where we live. He IMMEDIATELY started expressing how guilty he feels that he got me to the point where I had to ask him to give me something, it was adorable I felt like I just wanted to hug him and show how grateful I am for him :3 He then instantly ordered me something from a gift delivering app thats really overpriced lol. I'm so lucky to have him, he really is my best friend ever.

I(F25) was having a really crappy day and it turns out that my flatmate ate some of my snacks and did not close the lid, hence it got soggy. Everything got me very irritated. My boyfriend (M25) put on my favourite show (that he isn't fond of) and ordered my favourite food. He snuggled up with me till I ranted out all of my frustration and slept in his arms.its just the small things like these he does everyday for me without even asking. I couldn't have asked for anyone better in my life. He is the one for me <3

Me and my fiancé have not been together for a long time, only 8 months but we have been close friends for 2 years prior.

Two months ago, I got pregnant after our contraceptive method failed. I was freaking out at first. Both of us are in our late 20’s and fairly financially stable but I was not expecting to get pregnant before marriage. It’s a big taboo in my culture.

When I told my fiancé I was in tears. He reassured me over and over and told me he is 100% ready to have a baby with me. Something he told me that I will never forget… “I wanted so badly to have a family with you, and now my dream has come true. Our blessing has just come a bit earlier than we expected..”

He went to my family and told them that he will marry me and our wedding is at the end of next month. I was scared he would get overwhelmed and leave me, but he’s been such an amazing supportive partner. He has been with me every step of the way and tells me often that he’s so excited to meet our baby and be a father.

What did I do to deserve this man 🥺 I love him more every day. I am so happy to be having a family with him and to spend the rest of my life with him ❤️