It was an ordinary evening when I returned home after a long day of work. As soon as I stepped inside, I called out cheerfully, “I’m really hungry! What’s cooking today?”
While I was still taking off my shoes, I heard my wife’s voice from the kitchen, filled with her usual warmth:
“Coming, love!”
For a moment, I paused. I looked at her carefully. Even after years of marriage, there was a shine in her eyes and a softness in her smile that reminded me of the day we first met. Her eyes, lined with affection, and the way her lips curved into a smile brought back memories of our wedding day.
It suddenly struck me — today marked ten full years of our marriage. A decade had passed, yet in all those ten years, not once had she called me “love” so openly.
I thought to myself: when a bride first comes to her new home, she is shy for the first few years. Gradually, affection grows and couples begin to express their love. Some use gestures, some use simple words, and some use English words like love or darling. But here I was, after ten years of marriage, hearing my wife call me “love” for the very first time. My heart swelled with joy.
She soon came out of the kitchen, holding the dish in her hands. In her own sweet way, she repeated with even more affection:
“Here, love!”
My heart melted at that moment. I was overwhelmed with happiness. The romantic word she used, mixed with her shy smile, touched me deeply. My eyes grew moist, and I felt like I was falling in love with her all over again.
But then, to my surprise, she laughed suddenly and said, “I wasn’t calling you, I was talking to the potatoes!”
She went on to explain with a chuckle, “Sometimes, when I cook, I talk to the vegetables. It makes me smile. Sometimes I even sing to them. It keeps me from getting tired.”
I couldn’t help but laugh along. My disappointment faded quickly because, in truth, her explanation was even more charming. It showed me how pure her heart was, how she found happiness in the smallest things, and how she spread joy even while working in the kitchen.
And when I finally sat down to eat, I realized something important:
Sometimes love isn’t always expressed in grand gestures or fancy words. Sometimes it hides in little smiles, simple acts of care, and the way someone makes even ordinary moments beautiful.
The Lesson
This lighthearted story is more than just a joke — it carries a reminder. Love and affection don’t always need to be spoken in perfect words. What matters is the sincerity of the heart, the kindness in our actions, and the joy we share with one another in everyday life.
