10 Heartwarming Stories about the Power of Love

“Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.”
― Martin Luther King Jr.,

Love, to be felt and shown, need not be represented by grandiose and expensive efforts. Often, love is expressed in small ways and it is in these little, everyday things that we truly experience the real power of love and the beauty of life.

The compilation of short stories below shows us how poignant acts of love, no matter how small, can make a huge difference not only to others but also to ourselves.

1. From a husband to his wife

Today, two days after my partner’s funeral, I received a bouquet of flowers which he had ordered for me the week before. The note read, “Even if cancer wins, I want you to know that you’re the girl of my dreams.

2. All for the shaggy friend

Today I won a court case that lasted a very long time. 14 months ago, I found out that my neighbor regularly beat his dog. So I kidnapped it, and I was arrested. I spent a lot of money on the trial, but today, when I woke up and felt the warmth of my shaggy friend at my feet, I knew it had all been worth it.

3. Learning the language of love

My daughter came home from school and asked me where she could learn sign language. I asked her why she wanted to, and she replied that there was a new girl at her school who was deaf and only knew sign language, and she had no one to talk to.

4. Missent, but still meant

Today, I chose the wrong number and accidentally sent my dad a message saying “I love you,“ which was meant for my husband. A few minutes later I got a reply: ”I love you too. Dad.” It was so touching. We say things like that to each other so rarely.

5. Sibling love

In our school, just like in every other one, there’s a girl who’s more popular than anyone else. She’s unbelievably beautiful and intelligent, and all the boys would do anything to get her attention. But she spends all her time with just one boy: her little brother, who has autism.

6. Pictures speak a thousand words.

My grandfather and I were looking through some photographs when we stumbled upon an old shot of him dancing at a party with my grandmother, who had died several years before. He put his arm around me and said, “Always remember that even if something doesn’t last forever, it doesn’t mean that it’s not worth your time.”

7. Never give up.

I worked as a consultant on how to raise children for 15 years. Later I ran into one of the kids I’d previously worked with. He’d been a difficult child, always getting upset and angry at life. One time, I drew him a picture of Superman and wrote a message about how superheroes never give up and always win in the end. That little boy is now a fireman, and he saves people’s lives. We chatted for about half an hour, and before parting he opened his wallet and showed me the picture of Superman that he’d kept all this time.

8. Pets are heaven sent

I have diabetes. Two years ago, my mom died and I adopted her cat, who’s called Kit. Recently, I woke up at 3 am when Kit sat on my legs and started meowing. I’d never heard him do this so loudly and persistently before. I got up to take a look at what the problem was and suddenly felt very weak. I grabbed my glucose meter to check my blood sugar level. It had fallen to 53, and the doctor had told me that the normal level was 70-120. Later, in the hospital, I was told that if Kit hadn’t woken me up, I wouldn’t have woken up ever again.

9. Saved by the dog

A large stray dog followed me from the subway almost to my apartment front door. I was getting nervous. Then suddenly a man appeared in front of me with a knife and told me to hand over my wallet. Before I had a chance to react, the dog had lunged at him. He dropped the knife and ran away. Now I’m safe at home, and it’s all thanks to that stray dog.

10. Grandpa knew.

Recently, I dropped into a secondhand bookstore and bought a copy of the book that was stolen from me when I was a kid. I was so surprised when I opened it and found it was the very same stolen book. The first page had my name on it and my grandfather’s message that he had written when he gave it to me. He had written, “I really hope that many years later this book will once again fall into your hands, and you’ll read it again.”