Yesterday, I had the opportunity to have lunch with my husband and our pastor. During lunch, I noticed that my husband had a glob of sour cream sliding down the corner of his mouth. I reached over with my napkin and gently wiped it off. Our pastor commented, “That was a loving gesture to watch. It’s obvious you care for each other.” My husband, who has a dry sense of humor, responded with, “We are practicing for the drool and diaper changes twenty-five years from now.“

Have you ever watched how couples interact with each other in public? It’s rather telling about their level of affection toward each other.

• They hold hands.
• They carry on a conversation.
• He stands behind her to push in her chair.
• He helps her with her coat.
• He holds her arm while walking down the sidewalk or crossing the parking lot.
• He opens the car door for her.

Small…loving gestures.

• She smiles as his jokes.
• She stares into his eyes.
• She adjusts the collar on his shirt or jacket.
• She wipes the food off his chin, beard, or mustache.
• She dips a napkin in her glass of water, and cleans the spaghetti sauce off his shirt.
• She gives him a kiss on the cheek and whispers in his ear.

Consider gestures of love toward your spouse - however small, however simple - even if it means wiping the drool off the corner of their mouth in years to come.