Say “love you” at the end of the call even when it feels corny. You’ll never regret the corny ones.

Affection between people who genuinely love each other often goes unsaid because saying it feels like too much. The corny version is still the true version, and the awkwardness lasts about a second while the not saying it can last years. Families run on this, and nobody has ever reported regretting the sentimental option.

End one call this week with it even if your household does not usually. A parent, a grandparent, a friend whose absence you would feel. If the word itself is too big, something near it works: glad you called, talk soon, love you.