This Made Me Think of You
November 20th, 2025
Photo: Libby Zufi
Writer: Claudia Hurst
Editor: Sloan Spiewak
My mom has always written me handwritten notes. Little messages and reminders of her love would be concealed under a turkey sandwich in my elementary school lunchbox, tucked away in a packed suitcase, and always waiting on my nightstand when I returned home from college. Written in my mom’s curly lettering, these notes are never longer than a few sentences, but the gesture has always brought me so much joy. This consistent consideration that my mom ingrained into my life has heavily shaped the way I perceive connection in the world around me.
My favorite messages to receive are those echoing the sentiment: “This made me think of you.” When my friends send me pictures of green accessories or clothing, enclosed with the message, “I could totally see you wearing this.” When I receive a song lyric or movie scene from my dad, along with a note of why it called me to mind. When a conversation with any redheaded individual prompts a text from my sister. The lasting feeling these messages bring is not from the content itself, but the gratitude that our presence is valued in a way that there are reminders of us even when we are not physically present.
These exchanges are small and simple, and yet to me, they are the most valuable messages to receive. Hollywood theatrics and the commercialization of relationships have set an expectation that love is defined by grand gestures and highly anticipated moments. But I believe the purest form of love is consideration. This love perhaps speaks more softly, but it is thoughtful and personalized to the nature of its recipient. The greatest measure of this love is knowing someone well enough to see their reflection in everything else around you; the idea that we carry little morsels of the people we love everywhere we go.
Far too often, love is limited to the idealization and pursuit of romantic relationships. But when we’re looking for it, I think we can find that we are constantly surrounded by love. British pop singer Olivia Dean echoes this message in a recent interview with Apple Music, spotlighting her new album, The Art of Loving: “Maybe romantic love isn’t at the forefront of your life right now, but love exists in so many forms. It’s in your friendships. It’s in strangers. It’s in your parents. There is so much love to be shared.”
Love is felt in handwritten notes. Love is present in the messages that say “This made me think of you.” It is also reflected in the way we return these sentiments back to the world around us – how we respond to messages of consideration with our own, reciprocating the love we feel so lucky to experience for ourselves.
In a world where technology is at our fingertips and the ability to be in constant communication is everywhere, I find the quality of the words we express to be far more valuable than their quantity.
