Tell Them

We wandered down the winding streets of St Albans, just outside London, past centuries-old whitewashed cottages nestled together in charming disarray. I had been looking forward to this day, our one day in the country before Tim and I boarded a European cruise, and a chance to reconnect with friends whom we hadn’t seen in years. 

While Tim and Stan meandered ahead toward our destination, Helen and I strolled slowly together over cobblestones worn smooth by generations of footsteps. We stopped to admire the sweet details of the old homes -  door knockers shaped like hands, and fish, and lions, the rippled antique glass, English roses rambling up the walls…all the lovely character of things made long before everything became so mass-produced.  

Mostly, though, we talked... catching up on all the things you try to squeeze into a few hours when far too much life has happened since you were last together, moving easily between stories of how completely they’d fallen in love with their new granddaughter and her perfect, miniature toes, updates about our own families and work, old memories we still laughed about, and the pieces of life we had missed in each other’s absence.

And then something made us stop.

In the window of a tiny residence was a simple sign, displayed prominently enough that neither of us could miss it:

Tell people you love them.

For a second, we just stood there.

Then, at the exact same moment, we turned to each other and said, “I love you.”

We both smiled, then wrapped each other into an easy hug.

It was such a small thing, that little reminder someone had placed in their living room window, but something about seeing those words gave us the little prompt we needed to say what we both already knew. 

We continued our walk, arm in arm now, leaning in to each other, a little lighter in our step.

The next morning, I looked at the photo I’d taken of the sign and thought about a few other people I love. People close to me, people I hadn't talked to recently. People who were busy living their lives while I’m busy living mine.

I sent the picture to half a dozen or so friends with some version of:

I love you!

Immediately, my phone started lighting up.

Love you too!🥰

This made my day. 💕

I love you too, my dear friend. 🤟

I needed this today. 😘

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

OMG so grateful for you!

It’s SO great to hear from you! Let’s make plans to get together. 🫶

That’s awesome. I love you too.💕

It cost me absolutely nothing and took mere seconds, and yet I found myself giddy all morning, feeling the love coming back to me through all those little pink hearts.

And later, I learned that a few of My People had sent the picture to someone else, along with their own Little Bit O’ Love. That sweet sentiment on that little sign in St. Albans was literally traveling around the world. 

Why do we sometimes hold back from saying the things that matter most

to the people we care about? 

Maybe saying, I love you feels vulnerable. It takes courage to say those words. 

Maybe we assume people already know that we care.

Maybe we think they’re busy and we don’t want to interrupt.

Or, it’s been years since we last spoke. 

Or maybe someone simply crosses our mind and, instead of doing anything about it, we think, “You know, I really should reach out… sometime.”And then life gets in the way.

We don’t need a reason to tell our people we care.

And we don’t necessarily have to say I love you.

We can say:

I was thinking about you.

I miss you.

I’m so glad you’re in my life.

This reminded me of you.

I’m so grateful for you.

We humans are excellent over-thinkers. 

But happiness is often far simpler than we make it.

Sometimes it’s simply noticing when someone crosses your mind and taking a moment to tell them.  

A call. A text. A voice message. A few words that take seconds to send.

Think of how that little sparkle of love will ripple through your day, and theirs. And who knows where that love might travel to next?

Who’s on your mind today that you love? 

Tell them.

Thank you for being a light in this world. I'm so grateful for you.

Stay Strong. Stay Kind.

With so much Love,💗

Susan 

Happiness Practice: 

Think of someone you care about today—and tell them.

And if you enjoyed this Little Bit of Happy, send it along with a simple note:

I read this and thought of you. I love you, my friend. ❤️

Then see where that little bit of love travels next.