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People Reveal Which Small Things Their Significant Other Does That Makes Them Feel Loved

It's not just pet names or little gifts.

It's the little actions and the looks. It's the quality time. It's a swift kiss on the cheek or a perfectly cooked dinner.

There are so many ways your significant other can make you feel loved.


u/nokanjaijo asked:

[Serious]What is a small act your SO regularly does for you that makes you feel deeply loved?

Here were some of the answers.

Very considerate.

I have chronic pain which is exacerbated by lack of sleep, and he snores, so he sleeps in another room. But I love falling asleep with him there. So he sits in bed and reads until I fall asleep and then sneaks out quietly.

MonkeyHamlet

As he should.

He rings me every single time he sees a cute dog. Like every time. And will describe in detail how cute/fluffy/happy etc the dog was and if possible will also send me pictures (if he's had the chance to ask permission), because he knows how happy dogs make me. It makes my day every time.

thelittledancingcat

The Little Touch

Giphy

He never passes me without contact. There is always a gentle touch somewhere each time and if I pass him instead then he always reaches his hand out for me. It's incredibly comforting and loving.

strawberrypops

That's nice of him.

Whenever I feel down he can tell and we have little therapy sessions. I don't open up about my feelings a lot and it's easier when it's just over the phone because I don't have to look at peoples faces and feel judged. We did it before we even started dating.

We're similar so he can help with a lot of my problems and when he needs it, I'm there.

LillaNerd

A Simple Convo

Every day, he leaves work at 4.30pm and he will call me and talk to me for the whole 45 minutes it takes him to drive home, I hear him pull up outside the house and he'll say 'bye, see you in a minute' then comes in and says hi and kisses me as though we haven't just spent the last 45 minutes talking.

He's done it for ages.

I look forward to my phone ringing everyday at 4.30pm. Even after all this time.

kebel23

Now THAT'S cool.

Repairs my clothes. (She's a professional tailor so these things are really easy and quick for her.) If I lose a button or there's a tear in one of my shirts or something, I'll find the button replaced or the hole repaired, even if I don't mention it to her or notice it myself.

Occasionally, when she's done something more elaborate--since she's insists I just let her do the tailoring as opposed to spending money--she'll sew a note into a hidden place in the clothing. A pair of jeans has "Hey Handsome" stitched into the inside waistband, for example.

Steakasaurus-Rex

Details

He pays attention. If he goes to the store to pick up something he needs, he will bring back something I am out of or almost out of without my asking him to. This last time it was face wash - "I saw you were almost out so I picked some up for you" - and it was the brand and type I always use.

KaideyCakes

 Very useful.

My boyfriend always charges my phone. I'm scatterbrained and my phone is on low battery probably at least once-twice a day, so he takes it without me saying anything and plugs it in for me.

It's so sweet.

Whynotmelody

Cute.

There's no one small act for me and my SO. It's lots of little acts that show me that he loves me. It's the touch as I walk past, the glances when we watch tv or read our books, it's the times he cooks dinner even though it was my turn that night, or when he does the chores he knows I hate.

Every day I feel lucky to have found him, as every day he makes me feel loved.

sammichboss

Corn Corn Corn

Whenever I say, "Honey, I'm about to go *do some sort of task/activity alone* I ask, "Is there anything you need before I go?" (We have kids and they are Legion) When he doesn't have anything he needs help with, he responds, "I need you." and usually hugs me and won't let go for a bit. Corny, yes, but hey what can I say, I'm from Indiana and all I know is corn.

SubjectDelta28

How sweet.

He writes me a little note on the bathroom mirror with a dry erase marker every single morning.

Unbiased_Insanity

Home In Your Arms

He'll always comfort me during thunder storms. I'm not afraid of bad weather, nor have I ever been, and I don't know where he got the idea from, but the way he wraps me in a soft blanket and cuddles me in his arms is so comforting to me. I've never felt so protected and loved in my life before.

pringle-prangle

That's the best.

Listens to me about my story ideas. Remembers my character's names and comes up with randomly little funny scenes with them sometimes. Remembers their accents and personalities.

He's the only person that really has ever acknowledged and paid attention to their personalities. Sometimes he even thinks about them when he's at work. If only he knew how much it means to me!

st-Astrifer

The Greatest

Since we aren't able to really see each other yet, she makes me profile pictures for my birthdays. She's very sweet, she actually made my current profile pic! She's the greatest sometimes.

Transbendobot

Beautiful

Up until the day he died in March, holding my hand. Even in his deepest dementia, I could hold his hand and say I love you and he'd squeeze it.

chesscub

Shower & Shave

When we shower together, she'll grab my razor and shave my back while I lean against the wall under the stream. Then she'll wash my back and give me short massage. Finally, she'll wrap her arms around me, lean into my back and rest her head on my shoulder blades.

She knows I hate having a hairy back, she knows my shoulders are always tight and she knows that running water beating on my head, shoulders and back relaxes me like almost nothing else. Combine that with her holding me and I'll stay there until the hot water runs out.

MossyMav88

Take note, other guys.

He will always get me my favorite candy bar or snack when he goes to the gas station. Even when he asks if I need anything and I say no, thanks, he will still pick it up just in case I want it for work the next day. Super sweet.

SUCHajoke

Amazing.

I'm almost four years sober. Whenever we're looking to treat ourselves to a night out for dinner, she always researches to make sure wherever we go has fun nonalcoholic drinks.

ignissancti

How sweet.

He always makes me a cup of coffee or tea, and when I'm sick or sad he will set me up in bed with a laptop and a hot water bottle and it makes me feel like someone is taking care of me in a way that hasn't happened since I was a little kid.

littlehoneypossum

Rainbows Always Mean Love

I come home and find that all my shirts have been organized in the closet according to color, forming a rainbow-like effect (with dark colors on the left and lightest colors on the right).

Likewise, the socks drawer is arranged by color, so it's easy and convenient to find what I'm looking for.

These are little things, but very thoughtful and much appreciated.

Back2Bach

It's the little things

I have a small glass of water that I keep on the kitchen cabinet. He always makes sure it's full. If it's empty he fills it. If it's half full he fills it. Never once have I asked him to do this. It started because I would try pouring water from the Britta pitcher while the top was full and filtering, but it's turned into the always filled glass of water.

It's such a tiny detail, but never fails to make me smile.

hey_sjay

Shower or sleep?

He wakes me up in the morning and asks if I want to take a shower with him. Usually I do, but some mornings I just roll over and fall back asleep. He makes sure I'm covered up and kisses my forehead before he leaves for work.

AStarNamedAltair

Every introvert needs this.

Being my social "shield", he handles all the small talk when answering the door, in an Uber, at a party where we don't know anyone etc. I can just sit back and not come up with water cooler topics, huge relief for me.

misanthropistreina

Awww

When he's half asleep, he'll often mumble my name and tell me he loves me, or he'll reach out for me to hold me, almost like I'm his teddy bear.

Similarly, whenever he wakes up from a bad dream, the first thing he does is call out for me and look around frantically for me. It's just really sweet and genuine that I'm his first thought in those moments.

Saravaw

Very important.

Reminds me to take my psych meds.

timcard1988throw

You & Me & All Other People

On the weekends when he wakes up in the morning, we lay in bed and he plays with my hair while we plan out our day. It may be small, but it's the only time that we aren't rushing around and have time to just enjoy each other's company. He's done this every weekend for the past 10 years. ❤️

UnicornsFartGlitter9

Thoughtful

I doubt I'll ever have a SO again, but I did get to watch my parents have little things like this. My favourite is that my dad would make my mom's favorite sandwich for her the night before so she could have it for lunch the next day at work.

He'd wrap it up and put it front and center in the fridge. He did this for almost 43 years.

kimblim

Thinking Ahead

He leaves tea on my nightstand and kisses me goodbye even when I'm still asleep. And on Mondays he puts an extra sugar cube in my tea to motivate me.

I sometimes find sweet notes in the morning. When I started my first job in the US I was a little nervous, and I found a note taped to my steering wheel that first morning, saying how proud he was of me and how he knew I was going to do great, etc. etc.

uhno28

Wonderful

He makes sure that I eat everyday (recovering from an eating disorder and having multiple allergies makes it hard for me). When we go out he checks the restaurant menu beforehand to makes sure that the place has alternatives for me.

Kitsunemikan

Happiness Is A Hand Hold

Giphy

If we are walking around the city and about to cross the street, he grabs my hand, walks ahead and looks both ways to make sure I'm safe to enter the road. We are both grown men and it can seem a little silly, but it makes me smile every time.

SomeKindOfKong

You saw nothing.

I'm a coffee addict. Every time she goes grocery shopping and see a sale, she surprises me with new coffee grounds (I drink just about any coffee).

Also whenever she comes over, she'll "discreetly" put in new coffee filter in the machine for me. If she got caught, she'll exclaim "you saw nothing". So lot of time I play dumb, but it always put big smile on my face.

BrushGod

How sweet.

I dated a girl who would run her fingers through my hair while I slept. I have some childhood trauma and ptsd and that caused nightmares. By doing this she ensured once I went to sleep I didn't wake up from a night terror.

She never once complained about it, never threw it in my face. I truly miss her.

joshuabeebe

Yum.

Sometimes he prepares little surprises for me in the kitchen like a homemade lemonade or just cutting up a fruit. When I try to enter the said kitchen, he screams "It's a surprise go awayyyyyy! It's the little things.

AnneCat1238

What an awesome boyfriend.

When I work mornings, he'll make me coffee and a bagel to go.

When he notices I'm having trouble walking cause of my intense foot pains he'll help me if it involves stairs or when I'm standing up.

He'll make sure my arms and such are covered when out in the sun because of my sun allergy, or stand in a way to shade me.

He's truly wonderful.

dandelionchamomile

That's the best.

The ability to do our own thing and have out own time separate but together. Like she can draw, I can write or play video games, not say or do anything to each other but be completely happy together regardless.

Crash4654

A Little Bit Neat

I never make my bed, he is neat and organized and I'm a bit chaotic, but every time he stays over he makes my bed in the morning for me. I'll be getting ready for work in the bathroom and when I go into my room to change, I smile every time I see my perfectly made bed.

dayna_bunny

Sounds like it.

Every morning when I wake up there's a hot cup of tea next to my bed. He's awesome.

nick717

A Moment Of Solace

She runs her fingers through my hair as I lie on her chest. Between her warm and smooth skin and the head massage I get extremely calm and comfortable. My mind tends to race with one random thought after another, but when she does that, I am at peace.

Shiny_Mega_Rayquaza

He loves you too.

He goes to work very early in the morning while I sleep, and after finishing buys croissants before coming home. He wakes me up with a kiss and tells me breakfast is ready.

He makes the best ham and cheese croissants in the world. I love this man.

sweet-chilli-sauce

Yay!

He asks me to dance every day. In the living room, in the driveway, in a parking lot... anywhere. We'll put on a song and just take a minute to dance. Sometimes they're slow dances but sometimes we do something silly like the Macarena hahah!

He always tells me he liked seeing me come out of my shell so by doing this it kinda makes me go out of my comfort zone. We've been together just about a year and we have so much fun doing this!

I love that he always makes sure to take a few minutes to stop and just be together. It's kind of our "pause" button.

areemkay

Boop the snoop.

If he sees that I'm upset, he plays this game where it's his goal to get me to laugh or smile at least once. Usually, he can get it to work by just poking me on the nose and going "boop the snoot".

That and he ALWAYS gets me a snack at the gas station. Even if I don't ask for one.

PinkLemonade15

A great relationship.

She works part-time in the afternoon, so usually I'll get up earlier than her to eat breakfast, hit the gym and take a shower.

Before I leave for work, I'll cuddle up to her and hug her. She'll always semi wake up, let out a affectionate "sigh" and call me "love."

I can feel she feels loved and loves me back, and it gets me every time.

cruz-me

One Step Ahead

I always tell my husband that i hate doing this, but he would help me oil my hair and condition my hair, because i don't like to do it all the time, but its really sweet of him to do that. Also he would critique my makeup and watch make up tutorials. He's just the sweetest guy.

TrashiestPanda69

Candy Kisses

Giphy

He drives me to work every morning, and before I get out of the car he kisses me. Every morning. And if I try to get out of the car without my morning kiss, he will say "Hey, where do you think you're going?" Until I turn and kiss him. And if he's particularly needy, he'll kiss me a few times, and as I go to pull away, he'll look at me and say "one for the road?" Before kissing me again.

alyssa5100

The Keeeeeees

My husband always touches me as he passes, usually a head scratch because he knows they're my favorite. If he gets up to grab a snack he'll ask if I need anything. If I say no he'll go "not even a keeeees?" I love the way he draws out the word kiss in such a silly tone. He will act absolutely insane and ridiculous and when I ask him wtf he'll loudly proclaim "it's all for the laughs!" Because no one can make me laugh like he can.

Goodbyepuppy92

That's kind of him.

Money is tight. Always.

My husband and I share all our money in one bank account.

But sometimes my husband gets cash in addition to his monthly salary, and my husband will hand it over to me and say "here, buy yourself something you need"

And "something I need" can be anything. A manicure, toys for our son, dinner out, etc.

A lot of people hate the idea of a husband giving his wife an allowance, and let me say that's not what this is in our case.

My husband and I don't have "extra" money, but when we do, he gives it to me and doesn't question what I spend it on.

SuddenTerrible_Haiku

Contagion

Whenever we're together, she'll very often just stare at me with a light smile on her face while I'm doing just about anything. I can feel when she's doing it so I'll look at her and her smile will widen and I can't help but just smile back at her because her happiness and love is so contagious. We're almost two years in and it feels like we still grow closer and closer every day. I'm such a lucky woman.

debooji

Something to be proud of.

Tells me he's really proud of me when I get through grocery shopping without having a panic attack. To a healthy person it should be nothing, but to me it means the world.

Spantac_Riber

Fun while it lasted.

We used to spend about 15 minutes together every morning having coffee. Looking back 9n that small about of time, quiet, and affection was one of our foundations for our relationship.

We are still close today but not in a relationship. Distance wasn't for us.

Tedbastion

Helpful

He moves uneaten food from my plate to his because I have this irrational fear of being judged for not eating everything.

SomniacDreamer

People Share Their Very Specific Dating Restrictions

Reddit user AceofSpadesYT asked: 'What is your most specific restriction when it comes to dating?'

silhouette photography of couple
Sean Stratton on Unsplash

When it comes to dating, I have my mental checklist. The guy must be kind, intelligent, funny, and a movie buff. He must be adventurous but also doesn't mind a Netflix and Chill date night.

Most of this is similar to the mental checklists other people have. Of course, I can be flexible. If someone is nice and I'm having fun with them, they don't necessarily have to check all the boxes.

However, I have one specific dating restriction that is a dealbreaker regardless of how many boxes the person checks, and that's religion. I've never been a fan, and now I'm an atheist, and I would want my partner to be as well. That's because I want kids, and the last thing I want is for us to argue about how to raise the kids when it comes to religion.

I'm not the only person who has one specific dating restriction. Everyone has that one thing that is a dealbreaker when it comes to a romantic relationship. Redditors certainly do, and they are ready to share.

It all started when Redditor AceofSpadesYT asked:

"What is your most specific restriction when it comes to dating?"

It's Just A Joke!

"No cruel or rude pranks."

– detective_kiara

"I saw a post by someone whose boyfriend "pranked" her by pretending to be dead on the kitchen floor. That is exactly how she had found her previous partner, dead on the kitchen floor, which her current boyfriend knew. He was surprised she dumped him and didn't think it was funny."

– innocuousspeculation

We're (Not) Gonna Party!

"No party people. Nothing wrong with it, I just ain't dealing with that sh*t."

– PlantBasedStangl

"True. I like planning weekend stuff, but it has to be something meaningful - visiting a different city, movie marathon, mountain hike, fancy lunch, all okay. But... clubbing and drinking? How f**king old are we, 19? No thank you, I'm old and have no energy for listening to music I don't like while being surrounded by 50 people that I don't give a single half of a sh*t about."

– PlantBasedStangl

LOL

"Same sense of humor. I have 0 interest sharing physical space with someone who doesn't laugh with me."

– Legendary_Lamb2020

My Ears Are Bleeding!

"I'm a light sleeper. I cannot date a snorer. I can hear snores through ear plugs AND a fan blowing. It's not you, it's me."

– YourLocalOrca

At that point, it does sound like them 😂

– CuriousRedditor98

Funemployed

"Have a f**king job."

– Cuss-Mustard

"Found this difficult when I was funemployed. Was fortunate enough to be able to live off savings for a bit."

"People reacted oddly to it. “But what do you do???”"

"Was dating at the same time and some girls had the same sentiment. “You don’t have a job?”"

"I had a good enough job that I didn’t need one anymore. And one lined up 8 months from then. But there were two girls specifically who treated it as a deal breaker."

– DigNitty

"I had a similar situation. I worked a high-paying job for a few years that demanded a ton of my time and had crazy hours. It burnt me out badly and I lived off of the savings from that job for a while and tried to date now that I actually had free time. I had more money in my bank account during that time than at any other point in my life but so many people were put off by me being funemployed and assumed I was looking to leech. But I guess there’s really no way to know someone's history and hard not to assume. Now I work full-time and have way less money overall but it looks better..."

– Pinsit

Just Breathe

"No smoking. Ever. I'm not kissing an ashtray, or smelling an ashtray. Instant turn off."

–fishfood19

"100% I broke up with an old gf because she started smoking behind my back knowing I’ve got asthma and it was always a hard pass. She thought I was joking but it showed me that she was also untrustworthy."

– Jonowl89

That'll Do It

"I guess my husband restricts my dating."

– HeinousEncephalon

"My wife has the same rule. But the jokes on her, I get around it by dating her!"

– AuralRapist

Prehistoric Love

"Must like dinosaurs."

– Grungeceratops

"That goes without saying."

– Plain_Chacalaca

What's In A Name?

"Cannot have the same name as any of my relatives."

– Poorly-Drawn-Beagle

"My last ex had the same name as my Dad and I reeeeeeaally didn't like it. So, fair."

– severaltalkingducks

Be Polite

"If they’re rude to people they’ll never see again (Waitstaff, cashiers, etc) I’m out."

"I can’t respect anyone who doesn’t respect themselves, and when you’re not polite to people you’re disrespecting yourself."

– OctopusCandleCompany

God Only Knows

"When I was dating, you had to be an atheist. I don't mess with religion. And I genuinely just don't think atheists + religious people work out."

"And I know... There's going to be someone who comments (assuming there are enough upvotes) who says "I worked out with my spouse who's religious and I'm not!" but you're the exception. When it comes to making decisions long-term, how to spend your money, where you think you'll go after you die, not to mention basic morality (!), and if you have children - that's a huge hurdle."

– Lulu_42

"We worked it out. It's absolutely an exception and not the rule. Don't do it if you can avoid it."

– Alcoraiden

Let's Move Tonight (Literally)

"They need to be ok with cold weather."

"I grew up in the north, live in the south, and I'm tolerating it until I can move back north. If someone says they hate the cold it's an instant turn-off because I don't want to drag someone into a climate they hate."

"The same thing also applies to walkability. I want to move somewhere walkable, and I hope to meet someone with that same goal rather than try to talk them into it."

– ThePresidentCantSwim

"Let me know when you find this mythical northern walkable community."

– Partner-Elijah

My Purr-fect Match

"Cat has to approve."

– Possible-Source-2454

Non-Negotiable

"They need to be male. Kind of important."

– RMHaney

"So weird, I want the complete opposite."

– eightvo

Yeah, the male thing is kind of important for me too!

Do you have anything to add? Let us know in the comments.

Life is full of shock and surprise.

Apparently, that is part of the fun.

Who hasn't been left stunned by life events?

We always think we're immune to way too many things.

Anything and everything is possible.

It's important to be ready.

Redditor Bob_the_peasant wanted to hear about the things that have left people SHOOK, so they asked:

"What 'That can’t happen to me' thing happened to you?'"

I haven't been left that shocked that often.

I'm always expecting the worst, so I'm prepared.

But you never know.

I'm Dead

Snakes Imacelebau GIF by I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! AustraliaGiphy

"A snake fell out of a tree and bit me on the head."

"ETA: I have always been more scared of snakes than anyone I know, so it’s just so ironic that this happened to me of all people."

amanitachill

Crash Into Me

"A car crashed through my kitchen last year."

aster636

"I woke up to a truck parking in my bathtub 2 weeks before Christmas a few years ago. I watched my sink roll past my bedroom door followed by a hubcap. The driver managed to cross a median, 3-lane road, up an embankment, through an iron fence and between trees. He'd been involved in an altercation nearby and was fleeing the scene."

anjie59k

Hot Air

Swinging Hot Air Balloon GIF by Red BullGiphy

"My family and I were in a hot air balloon crash."

GymDoll2000

"My friend had one crash into her pool when she was a kid."

Environmental-Car481

This is why hot air balloons and skydiving are just a HELL no for me.

Always have. Always will.

Tragic

Cat No GIF by Looney TunesGiphy

"My wife cheated on me with my best friend. They’re moving in together next month. I’m in a new city thousands of miles away. I found out a month ago."

Tssodie

Bad Penguin

"Everyone else’s stories are very sad so here’s something a bit lighter. I’ve mentioned this story before but I got bitten on the neck by a penguin."

"I was at an event where the local zoo had a penguin and owl sitting on tables with handlers so you could take a picture next to them. The penguin went for my glass of wine, I moved the wine, and it bit me on the neck hard enough to bruise. They removed the penguin after that. 😂."

archaeologistbarbie

All Gone

"Our house burned in a wildfire, we lost absolutely everything we owned and only salvaged a single coffee 3 cup."

"On the good side: There was a boy I crushed on all through high school. We went to summer camp together and I adored him. We ended up getting together in our 20s after reconnecting, and have now been together more than 20 years, married almost 17. We’re as madly in love as ever."

toomuchisjustenough

Good Luck

"Homelessness. It came swiftly and out of nowhere. had no savings and the landlord sold the house I was in. couldn’t afford a new place so lived in my car with my dog for a few months. ended up finding community assistance and got into an apartment."

jumbospicyslimjim

"I can’t even imagine being in that situation. Hopefully, this is just the start of things turning around for you. Sending you good energy!"

frappbarqueen

Early Michael Myers

"About 10 years ago, I was stabbed in the arm with a flathead screwdriver. It was a coworker whom I had previously gotten along well with. He had stopped taking benzos and smoking weed a few days before and was on a hair trigger. I said something sarcastic, and he just snapped."

Mr_Spaghetti_Hands

Bad Landing

Bad Day Seagull GIF by Sound FXGiphy

"I was lying on the beach and a seagull flying very high took a poop and it went straight in my mouth."

Competitive_Show6205

This is why I say... "Never trust a seagull!"

They are minions of the devil.

Person cooking in home kitchen
Conscious Design on Unsplash

We've all heard the phrase, "You can't eat at everybody's house," but some of us have a few examples of our own to live by.

From not properly cleaning the environment to questionable hygiene ourselves, there are countless reasons why a person may not want to eat what you've cooked after watching you prepare it.

Bracing themselves, Redditor 195901 asked:

"What is your 'you can't eat at everybody's house' horror story?"

Fly Spray Sandwiches

"I told my dad my sandwich tasted like fly spray at my grandma's house. He didn’t believe me."

"Two days later, I caught my grandma spraying the benches 'clean' with the two-dollar fly spray you find at the cheap store."

"Dad figured it was safe to make sandwiches straight on the countertop because they looked clean. I dragged him over to see and he apologized and took my sister and me for fish and chips for lunch."

- littlehungrygiraffe

Special Seasoning Deviled Eggs

"My crackpot aunt served us a lovely tray of deviled eggs, complete with very old paprika sprinkled on top. So old, in fact, the many weevils mixed in it were dead."

- PhoneboothLynn

A Disturbing Surprise

"I visited a friend's house who was living with his mother, and she asked if I wanted a coffee and I said I would."

"Upon getting to the bottom of the cup and taking the last few gulps, I found there was a used bandaid stuck to the bottom… I never ate or drank there again."

- MrRailton

In Need of Child Protective Services

"I was babysitting a kid in a pretty dirty house. I was told to wake him up, supervise bathing and changing clothes, and feed him. I was welcome to whatever was in the fridge. Okay. The house and his clothes were filthy."

"Then, when I opened the cabinets, floods of roaches poured out. There were roaches in every opened box and container."

"I took him back to my house and returned him later that day. I hope the boy ended up in a better situation. I found out CPS (Child Protective Services) got involved shortly after."

- Alltheprettydresses

Traumatized by Raisins

"I was gonna complain about raisins in the potato salad but the other comments on here are scary. Oh my god."

- tcumber

"When I was a young kid, I stayed over at a friend's place, and his mom made veal or something with godd**n raisins INSIDE the meat somehow. It was so nasty, I never forgot it."

- User2716057

You WISH That Was Vinegar

"My MIL fished around in the green bin (compost bin) with her bare hands, didn't wash them, WIPED her GARBAGE JUICE HANDS on the tea towel, and then WENT BACK TO PREPPING THE SALAD."

"She also got horrifically offended if I didn't want to eat at her house."

- 116843189

Poor Home Hygiene

"My first boyfriend’s parents invited me for Thanksgiving. I came over a few days before Christmas and all the same dirty dishes from Thanksgiving were still in the kitchen. I passed on coming over for Christmas dinner."

- MinimalistHomestead

Every Surface Covered

"I went to a friend's house after school, he was going to teach a group of us to play D&D (Dungeons and Dragons)."

"We got there and his house was disgusting. I'm not the neatest person but the carpet hadn't been vacuumed in forever, clothes were all over the place, and dirty dishes were stacked everywhere."

"I tried to be polite even though the place reeked, but at some point, he was like, 'Who wants snacks!'"

"He picked up a bowl that was crusted with stuff, splashed in some water, wiped it with a towel that clearly hadn't been washed that decade, and poured chips into it. Then he asked if we wanted to stay for dinner. We did not."

- KnittinAndB***hin

O Holy Expiration Dates

"When I was a kid, Christmas Eve was always celebrated at Grandma's. I always got sick afterward. Like, Merry Christmas, you're going to puke now."

"It wasn't until I was all grown up and helping her out in the last weeks of her life that I learned why. She did not believe in expiration dates on anything!"

- SundayMorningTrisha

An Immune System to Remember

"My grandma made me a food phobic from a young age. Whether it was ramen with moths floating on top, or chunky milk in my cereal, it just scarred me for life."

"Dinner at her house was always a fight. Not eating her food was not an option. I'm not sure why that was the hill she would always choose to die on, because she was an amazing grandma other than this."

"Expiration dates aren't a thing. If the cheese was moldy, you cut it off... I think living through the great depression and raising kids in poverty changed her mindset on food."

"I mean obviously, she's doing something right because she's 91. She must have the immunity of a superhero."

- tha_stormin_mormon

Neighborly Love

"I used to help an old neighbor out with grocery shopping, I’d drop the bags at her door and she’d give me a check for the amount of groceries. She’d give me homemade cookies once in a while, chocolate chips."

"I didn’t ever eat them because one time I caught sight of her apartment. It was a large studio, a small kitchen, and tv, and a bed/couch. And there were about 20 cans of cat food, half-eaten, and one million flies and small maggots in different stages of growth, dishes with crusty food stuck to them, and a wall of empty beer cans."

"After I saw that, and got a whiff of her apartment, I started helping her with taking garbage out and putting groceries away, cleaning out her fridge, and making sure her cat was healthy."

"A couple of months later, she got the virus, ended up at a rehab facility, and passed within two weeks."

"Some people need help and a little company…"

- SnooPeripherals6557

No Longer Rice

"A girl I was interested in at the time had cats. I came to her house one day to pick her up for a date and he had a large sack of rice open in her pantry with the pantry door open."

"One of the cats hopped out of the sack of rice and she just casually laughed at it like, 'Oh, they are always getting into things.'"

"I came over the following weekend that SAME sack of rice was in the pantry and I could hear one of them tussling around in it again, we stopped dating sometime after that but anytime she offered to cook for me I immediately pivoted to taking her out to eat instead."

- justad**nfool

"Those cats probably used it as litter."

- Anonymanx

"Yeah, that was my fear."

- justad**nfool

Could Have Warned Her

"My mom told me one about going over to her aunt Virginia's house. She, her parents, and her siblings were sat around the kitchen while her aunt cooked, and my mom could not figure out why no one else was having ANY of this incredibly delicious bread that was on the table."

"She was on her third slice when her aunt stepped out to do something else, and my mom was told by her brother to go look in the flour bin."

"It was absolutely filled with miller moth larvae. Aunt Virginia had been losing her eyesight for years."

- smoothiefruit

"It's f**ked of her parents not to warn her not to eat the bread... like, what the f**k, you KNOW the bread isn't safe, so you're not eating it, but you're fine with letting your daughter have three slices?"

- whydontthissitework

Bad to the Point of Malnutrition

"I graduated high school at 6' 10" tall, but weighing only 120 pounds."

"That's not skinny, that's emaciated."

"The food prepared by my bio-mom was so bad that it wasn't providing me with the nutrients or calories I needed to survive. I went off to college where I had to cook for myself (I wasn't allowed to cook at home because my father insisted that "cooking was women's work")."

"Not only did I discover that food didn't have to be burnt to a crisp, flavorless, or boiled until everything was grey. I also discovered that food can be made to taste good, and using things like salt, or pepper, spices, or various condiments can make it taste amazing."

"The "freshman 15" likely saved my life."

"The thing is, I don't think that my biomom was even aware that her food was that disgusting. Whenever we went out for dinner (which was more often than what my father wanted, but he was the one who insisted on going), she did nothing but complain about how the food was undercooked, 'practically raw,' or 'too spicy,' to eat."

"When she went to other people's houses (including her own extended family) she would criticize them for 'doing it wrong' when she watched them cook anything. She would often end up refusing to eat their food because she 'watched them ruin it,' when they cooked it. We never had guests over to eat her cooking. Ever."

- Galaxy_Ranger_Bob

Clean Hands

"We have a chili contest every year at work around Thanksgiving and I've stopped participating in voting for it because I want to know whose I'm eating before taking any. I work with some great people, but I wouldn't eat at or anything from their house. Strangely enough, the guy I absolutely despise I'll gladly eat his chili because he is clean and well kept and I know his house is."

"I also work with a bunch of people who don't wash their hands after using the bathroom in any capacity and we've secretly kept a list so to avoid any potlucks where they take food or to get food before they do."

- SafewordisJohnCandy

We're left with chills after reading these stories.

Where some people might make some mistakes in the kitchen out of just not knowing, like not properly washing rice before cooking it, most of these are just careless mistakes that have disgusting, if not dangerous, results.

Collection of VHS tapes
Bruno Guerrero/Unsplash

What makes us all unique is our passions and the things we love, whether it's singing in the shower, reading books, or listening to specific music artists.

Unfortunately, we live in a world where we are judged for our various tastes and interests thanks to social media, and it makes us consciously selective about sharing the things we love on the internet.

Curious to hear about people's personal desires under anonymity, Redditor sweet_chick283 asked:

"What do you secretly love that you would never admit to in public?"

These aren't really chores for the following Redditors.

Good Clean Fun

"Mopping, im a janitor and generally hate my work... but damn mopping is so good."

– MrDDog06

"When you have a great rhythm going it is something special. I get the same feeling while I vacuum, but won’t let my wife know I enjoy it."

– Bogus_34

Act Of Unwrinkling

"Ironing clothes. A dozen of them. Can’t explain how it relaxes me. I told one person and they looked at me like I’m crazy."

– eerie_white_glow

"My mum misses the days when dad would be out on a Friday night, my brother out with friends and me upstairs quietly playing PS1. She would pour herself a Bacardi & Coke and do the ironing while watching her TV shows."

"I'm sure she doesn't really miss it now that we've moved out and they've retired but it was her wind-down after a busy working week so I can see how people can find it relaxing."

– xdq

Our solo actions can spark joy.

Big Brother Is Watching

"pretending to be on the Truman show and whenever im in my house i act all inconspicuous so they dont know that i know that they’re watching me."

– Bec_121

"C’mon man, you’re not supposed to let him know. You signed a contract when signing up for live views. I’m reporting you."

– doeswaspsmakehoney

The Multi-Tasker

"Playing video games naked at home while eating cheese."

– thickening_agent

Releasing The Kraken

"I love the feeling when you've eaten good fibre and let out a solid long train log in the toilet. That feeling is heavenly."

– therapoootic

"Even better when it’s a clean wipe and not a poo crayon."

– TheWarmestHugz

Ultimate Comfort

"My (male 41) weekend routine is coming home from work, make hot chocolate, start a fire, dress in a ugly pink nightgown made for old ladies and watch forensic files."

– crazyloomis

Some people are obsessed with collecting things.

So Kawai

"Sanrio stationery stores. All those different multicolor pens, a thousand kinds of erasers, spiral bound notebooks galore... my kids sadly have absolutely no appreciation for this wonderland..."

– HavingNotAttained

It's A Staple

"Office supplies have a weird, special place in my heart ever since I was a kid. They don't even have to be 'cute' necessarily."

"Japan's legendary stationery stores is unironically a reason I want to go."

– _CozyLavender_

Not Caring Anymore

"The older I get the shorter that list gets. Not because I love less things, but because I don't care about hiding it."

– Bi-Beast

"YES!! I'm 53 now. I'm working my first job in public since 2006. Today is Halloween and we're allowed to dress up so I am sitting here waiting to go to work dressed as a VERY bad Wednesday Addams. My bf said I'd 'look stupid' because no one else will probably dress up and I'm like, 'WHO CARES!' My makeup looks horrible and not like I practiced, but I DO NOT CARE! I'm having fun with it anyhow and I don't care if my coworkers dress up or not. I'm bein' ME! :)"

– deanie1970

Honorable mentions start here.

The Savior

"Picking up worms from the street and sidewalks when it rains and moving them into the dirt so they don’t burn in the sun, every time it rains I do this."

– sky_kitten89

Hero Of The Moment

"Yoooo I scoot SO many snails and worms. I work as a tech/mechanic at an automotive shop, I had a peoject car towed to my house the other day and it was covered in snails. I saw them when the tow guy/coworker was unloading and I was like, 'oh! It comes with free snails!' and began moving them. He laughed then realized and said, '... Oh, you're serious. Uh... Okay.'"

"I don't care who knows it. These little things barely can look out for themselves, why shouldn't we if we can take a moment to help? I don't care what happens next, it probably doesn't matter overall but I can help this moment."

– chris14020

Why should some of the hidden desires mentioned above have to be secret?

Redditors opening up about some of these would make them a hit at parties–no shaming.

As a matter of fact, I'll totally be down for a Forensic Files viewing party where we all make hot chocolate, light the fireplace, and cozy up together in our respective pink ugly nightgowns for old ladies.