Last week, I shared my typical morning routine. It was intentional, and meant to be. But sometimes, we fall into routines without even realizing it. Some are good, some are bad. I’ve come to realize that me and my boyfriend have a “Turn down” routine. A few elements are deliberate, like meditating and no electronics 15 minutes before bed. However, I noticed that at some point of the night once we’re done with our individual tasks for the day, we always share a moment on the couch to snuggle and watch TV.
These couch moments of watching shows neither of us wants to really watch, but we watch anyway for the other person – are some of my favorite moments. Doing absolutely nothing can be everything. During last night’s “nothing” moment, my boyfriend caught me Googling “How to escape waterboarding”. You know I can see you right? I jumped when he asked me. I did not know he could see me. (Also, I could not find a way to escape. Please let me know if you do)
I ended up going on Instagram instead. On the top of my feed was a post Miley Cyrus dedicated to her husband Liam Hemsworth for his birthday. I read it in its entirety. She talked about the reasons she loved him, and the special silly and sweet moments they share. One in particular – “I love having a teeth brushin’ partner,” made me smile. Me and my boy friend both have electronic toothbrushes, so when I sleep before him I ask him to brush his teeth with me, so that he doesn’t wake me. Now, we brush our teeth together regardless of what time the other person goes to sleep. Sometimes, I’ll pre-paste his toothbrush. Last night, he did a stupid dance behind me while I rinsed my mouth.
It was heartwarming to think that Miley and Liam were doing the same thing we were too. Different people, different couples, different lifestyles, doing something as simple as brushing their teeth and being in love. Obviously there were other couples doing the same thing too. Cooking while the other washed dishes. Meditating. Reminding the other to take their vitamins. Asking Alexa to tell them a joke. Taking a walk to the mailbox. Sharing their fears. Sharing their dreams. Taking Spanish class. Picking out baby names. Not so subtly hinting what kind of ring they want. Arguing. Making up. Taking edibles. Laughing. Crying. LOVING.
Love is happening everywhere. All the time. Including right this very moment. And if you’re reading this, I hope it’s happening for you too.