If You Recognize These 12 Things In Your Marriage, The Love Is Still Strong

Do you still love your spouse?

A man and a woman are outdoors, smiling and embracing. The woman has blonde hair and is wearing a light brown sweater, while the man has dark hair, a beard, and is wearing a light blue sweater. The background is blurred green foliage.

If you’ve been with someone a long time, you’ll no doubt face your fair share of ups and downs. It may even seem like there are more downs than ups sometimes.

When that happens, it’s not uncommon to question whether you even still love them.

You may start to doubt the feelings you once had.

But love changes over time and it doesn’t always look how it used to in those early honeymoon days.

That doesn’t make it any less powerful though. Keep an eye out for these subtle signs your love is still going strong, even if it’s not always obvious.

1. You trust them.

Two people sit at a table with a red checkered tablecloth outside a cafe. They are holding hands, smiling, and wearing sunglasses. Drinks, including iced coffees, are on the table. The background shows a window reflecting greenery and outdoor furniture.

You’re comfortable opening up to your partner about your biggest fears and dreams, and you trust that they will understand and keep your secrets without judging you. You feel safe with them and you’re not afraid to show your vulnerable side.

They feel like home to you. They are warm and familiar, and you’re sure that they would never betray your trust.

2. Your love doesn’t have a lot of conditions.

An elderly couple sits on a bench under a tree, looking up and smiling. Both are casually dressed; the woman wears a dark jacket and jeans, while the man has on a blue denim shirt and khaki pants. Behind them, there's a colorful wooden building and greenery.

Loving someone means acknowledging and accepting their flaws. At the beginning of a new relationship, people tend to idealize their partner, but truly loving someone is different than being “in love.”

Your love doesn’t have many conditions, and you probably accepted some things about them that you may not have done with someone else. When it comes to your partner, the good outweighs the bad.

3. You appreciate the little things that they do for you.

A woman with blonde hair sits, smiling up at a man wearing a green sweater. He is handing her a wooden breakfast tray with two glasses of orange juice on it. They are indoors with a shelf and some home decor visible in the background.

Everyone likes grand gestures, such as those in romantic movies. But when it comes to real love, you appreciate even the tiniest things that they do for you, and you don’t ask for more.

It’s the small things that matter when you’re in love, and that’s often the difference between love and infatuation.

4. Something always reminds you of them.

A middle-aged couple sits closely together on a beach, smiling and looking into the distance. The woman has dark hair and is wearing a white sleeveless top, while the man, also in white, has graying hair. The background is blurred with greenery and sand.

When you’re in love, every song is about them. Every movie is about your love, and every poem is written for the two of you.

A piece of clothing, the smell of perfume, the restaurant where you once went, the song that was playing when you danced together, the taste of champagne that you were drinking the first time you met. These things take you back in time and fill you with fond thoughts.

5. You try to make them happy.

An elderly couple sits on a couch, both smiling and holding video game controllers. The woman on the left has short blonde hair and glasses, wearing a white blouse. The man on the right has white hair and a beard, wearing a purple shirt. A plant is in the background.

You love to see that beautiful smile of theirs. and it’s even better when you are the cause of it.

You make them laugh and share inside jokes that only the two of you get.

You want to make them happy, take care of them, and be there for them.

6. You want to help them.

A man stands close to a woman, gently holding her shoulders, looking concerned. The woman faces away, pressing her hands to her temples, appearing distressed or deep in thought. They are indoors, next to a large window with soft daylight filtering in.

You want them to live up to their potential and be the best person that they can be.

You want to grow with them and see them grow on their own. Your love motivates you and you want what’s best for them.

7. You empathize with them.

A man and woman stand close to each other near a window. The man, with short dark hair and a beard, gently embraces the woman from behind. The woman, with her eyes closed, leans back into him, appearing content. They both wear light-colored clothing.

You will feel strong empathy for the person you love. We don’t always know why we fall in love, but we know that it makes us feel compassion for the other person. You care strongly about them and often mirror their emotions.

You are happy for them when they are happy, and it bothers you when they’re sad, so you try to cheer them up or at least offer a shoulder to cry on. You always want to make them happy, and you understand their perspective, or at least try to.

When something is happening to them, whether good or bad, you feel like it’s happening to you too.

8. You feel safe in their arms.

A couple lies on a bed in a cozy setting, with the woman smiling and nestling against the man. The man has his arm around her and is looking at her affectionately. Both appear relaxed and content, surrounded by warm, earthy tones of the bedding and room.

You feel at home when you’re with them and safe in their arms when they hold you. You’re sure that they would be there for you no matter what, and their hug always helps when you’re feeling blue.

They take care of you by doing little things for you, and you appreciate that. You know that they would never hurt you on purpose and that they would help you and protect you if needed.

The point is, you know that this person is always on your side and that you can trust them no matter what. They would do anything for you, and you would do the same for them.

9. You feel more capable with them in your life.

A woman and a man are assembling furniture in a bedroom. The woman is sitting on the bed, holding instruction papers and smiling, while the man is kneeling on the floor, using a screwdriver. Various furniture pieces and tools are scattered around them.

Love makes you feel good and happy to be alive. Knowing you have them in your life makes everything seem a bit easier to manage.

Even though you go through tough times together, you know deep down that having them in your life makes it better, not worse.

10. You are afraid of losing them.

A woman and a man are relaxing on a bed. The woman is sitting up with a smile, leaning on a pillow. She is wearing a white tank top and floral print pants. The man is lying on his back with his hands resting behind his head, wearing a white t-shirt and blue pants.

You’re not afraid of being single again or getting hurt, you’re afraid of not having this person in your life because they mean so much to you.

When the two of you fight, you want to find a way to resolve things.

When you think about whether your life would be better without them in it, the answer is quick and clear.

11. You love them despite their flaws.

An elderly couple sits outdoors, holding disposable coffee cups. The woman, wearing a red coat, smiles at the man, who is wearing a blue coat, yellow cap, and glasses. Autumn trees with yellow leaves form the background, creating a warm, cozy ambiance.

You may have once thought they were flawless, but now you know better.

You love them in spite of that though.

You know they aren’t perfect, but neither are you.

12. You’re always thinking about them.

A couple shares a warm, intimate moment. A woman with long dark hair hugs a smiling man from behind as he sits in a red chair. The man has dark hair and a beard, and is wearing a gray shirt. Both are smiling and appear happy.

Ok, so maybe you’re not thinking about them in that romantic way you once did. It might be more about the logistics and practicalities of your everyday lives, but still.

They may no longer be the first thing you think about when you wake up in the morning and the last thing you think about before you go to bed. But if you broke it down, you’d probably realize you still spend a large amount of your day with them on your mind.