All It Takes Is A Love Note

I am a massive fan of the love note.

Forget flowers, chocolates, and expensive presents. When it comes to offering a completely unprompted mini affection reminder, the love note makes everything okay.

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When Paul and I first moved in together, he was still in school and had to leave extremely early in the morning – before I had a chance to wake up and say goodbye. Sure, there would be the groggy acknowledgment of his farewell (soon forgotten as I slipped back into a contented sleep-state), but that was it. Maybe I could have gotten up sooner and adjusted my schedule – but I was working late and doing my own schoolwork at night…so overall there was little we could do to make our daily routines work well together.

No big deal. Paul figured out a way around that.

Without ever really expressing my disappointment that a proper send off wasn’t going to happen at the hour he was leaving, Paul started leaving little sticky pad love notes on the wall above our bed. Simple sentiments, scribbled affection…yes, it was totally cheesy and wonderful and made me start every day with a smile. He loved leaving them for me and I loved waking up to a new pen color and way of saying ‘I love you’ every day.

It wasn’t ever something we really talked about. And since then our schedules have thankfully become far more similar and predictable on a day to day basis (as much as I adore love notes, I would rather have the real thing!). But here we are, several years later…and every once in a while I still get surprised with a love note. Under my keyboard, on the refrigerator, by the front door…it’s just our thing.