Life

Why This Husband Painted His Pinky For His Wife

by Lily Feinn

Lasting romance isn't about sweeping gestures, flowers, or trips to Paris. It's those everyday acts of love and kindness that make a relationship special, and a perfect example of that (on the internet of all places) is this husband who painted his pinky for his wife for a very touching reason.

Libby Sanders, a nurse from Jasper, Indiana, gave Facebook all the feels when she posted two photos last week of her left hand on top of her husband Matt's hand. The image revealed Libby's freshly painted nails, and Matt's pinky nail painted the same shade.

Libby lost her pinky in March, after an accident with a faulty screen door. She feels its absence every time she gives herself a manicure. However, one night while the couple was winding down at the end of the day and watching TV things changed. Libby told BravoTV, "I was painting my nails and going to paint my left pinky. I was used to doing that forever and I laughed. It’s a bummer and I’m still not used to not painting it. I still go to paint it every time.” Her husband, seeing how upset she was allowed her paint his pinky nail, and made a promise, saying, "I’ll be your surrogate pinky for the rest of our lives.”

Libby was so moved that she posted the moment as her status on May 2. It read:

This is who I married....I was painting my nails and made a comment that I forget I don't have to paint my pinky nail on my left hand. I simply forget that I lost my pinky, but it is always kind of a bummer when I am reminded. Matt said "I will be your surrogate pinky. You can paint my pinky to match your nails for the rest of our lives" And so we did....I cannot image a sweeter, kinder man. No words adequately describe our love.

The touching post has since been shared over 120,000 times and has garnered hundreds of likes. When her pictures began trending last Thursday, Libby was incredibly surprised but happy that her husband was getting accolades for his good deed. She said in a subsequent Facebook update, "so so unreal. I'm happy Matt is getting the props he deserves." Libby told New York Magazine that even more fulfilling than the popularity of the post is the outpouring of positive comments from fellow Facebook users saying that her picture “made them more comfortable with their amputation.”

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Matt is also a fan of their new nail tradition. Libby told BravoTV, "He likes it too. Throughout the day he’ll look down and he it reminds him of me." According to Bravo, the couple who has been married nearly six years, is still keeping their polish fresh, changing to a new color every week.

Now where did I put my tissues... I mean nail file!

Images: pexels, Libby_Sanders/Facebook