Holidays inspire big expressions of love: birthdays, Christmas, Chanukah, Valentine’s Day, and graduations. Adults want to let their loved ones know how important they are. We all look forward to those gift-giving and receiving opportunities.
I always feel pressured on holidays. What if I’m not in a gift-giving mood? What if I’m short on cash? What if I’m super busy? What if my loved ones are disappointed with my gift? And then I have the feeling that retailers drive holiday gift-giving. For example, the flower industry loves Valentine’s Day.
But I think the small, spontaneous expressions of love and care are the most meaningful.
Parents spend a lot of time complimenting their children for a job well done, buying them small gifts, reminding them that they’re loved. My 7-year-old granddaughter looks forward to Wednesdays, our treat day, which is a weekly event. It makes her feel special. These small acts of loving kindness spring forth from moms, dads, and grandparents without much thought. Yet, how often do we extend these same deeds to our partners?
It’s easy to take our loved adults for granted.
Yesterday, my wife was tired after a long trip. She made a special effort to clean up the kitchen. When I came upstairs from work, a sparkling clean kitchen was waiting for me before I started dinner. I let her know that I appreciated her effort. I had some time on my hands the other day, so I folded some laundry. When she saw the pile of folded towels, she gave me a big thank-you smile.
This morning, my wife had an eye appointment. I packed a bottle of water for her because I knew she wanted to have water for the road. She thanked me for my thoughtfulness.
Every day, we have the opportunity to perform small deeds of loving kindness for our loved ones. We can greet each other warmly when we’re arriving or departing. We can perform small tasks that we know our loved ones will appreciate. We can set aside our cell phones and share a smile with each other.
It’s important to remember that love is a verb. It’s expressed in deeds of loving-kindness. You don’t have to wait for Valentine’s Day to let your partner feel loved and appreciated through your acts of love and kindness.
These small expressions of love are big.
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