12 Simple Things Women Said That Left Men Forever Changed

Sometimes, it takes just a few words to shake someone to their core. On the internet, men from all walks of life have shared the simple things women have said to them that left permanent imprints on their hearts.

These aren’t grand declarations or cinematic speeches. They’re quiet compliments, offhand remarks, or sincere reassurances, the kind that hit like a soft punch to the soul. Get ready to feel a little emotional (and maybe text your favorite person after this).

• My girlfriend had a blanket that she called her “hold on thing” when she was a child. She still has it; it was her baby blanket. When we got married, she engraved the phrase “You’re my hold on thing” on my wedding ring. © Handyhelping / Reddit
• In my anthropology class, I was having a casual conversation with a classmate while examining bones. I mentioned that I had a brother, and she asked, “Is he like you? So gentle?” I have very low self-esteem, or rather, I have a lot of self-loathing.
  When I receive a compliment, I instinctively think that I’m being mocked or pitied. This compliment came out of left field and actually got past my mental defenses and connected. It was genuinely touching. © DPPestDarkestDesires / Reddit
• One of my little sister’s friends once told me that she would have loved to have a big brother like me. This comment touched me particularly because, back then, I used to feel unwanted by my own family. © touhou-and-mhplayer / Reddit

• When my wife was dying of cancer, she had one of those bitter evenings where she lashed out about how unfair it was that she had to fight for her life at age 39. She was angry about how unfair it was for her children to grow up without her, and about how she would miss seeing them become adults. She said that every moment of every day was filled with struggle, pain, and fatigue, and she was angry and bitter about it.
  I told her something I’d felt ever since she got sick: I wished cancer had taken me instead. Looking past her bitterness and pain, she said, “I would never want you to experience this pain.” It was the most selfless and loving thing I had ever heard, and it helped me so much as I dealt with survivor’s guilt after she died. © zikadwarf / Reddit
• Our daughter was born with a heart defect. She passed away at six weeks old.
  A few weeks after the funeral, my wife turned to me and said, “You’re always so strong, and I appreciate it more than words can express. But it’s time for you to let it out.” I wasn’t okay for several hours after that. © BGOG83 / Reddit
• A friend told me that she preferred how I looked bald to how I looked with a lot of hair, and that I was a great-looking bald guy. Her words meant so much because I am bald due to alopecia areata. I used to have thick, flowing locks, so it was difficult to choose to shave my head for the first time. © Vegetable_Kale_8144 / Reddit

• A woman at the gym asked for my number. After we talked for a while, she said that something about me seemed off. I told her that I had just gotten out of a very bad relationship.
  I told her that I hated my ex-girlfriend. She softly touched my hand and said, “You’re hurting yourself by hating her.” When I asked why, she replied, “You’re giving her power that she doesn’t deserve.”
  Her words were like lightning. They sent shockwaves through my heart. Her words touched me like never before. They made me look inside myself and realize that I had a hand in our breakup too. © apex_super_predator / Reddit
• “I didn’t give birth to you, and we might not match on a DNA test, but you’re my son, no matter what anyone says.” — My best friend’s mom.
  She has been like a mother to me my whole life, taking care of me. I love her with all my heart, and when she said that, I started crying. I never doubted her love, but having verbal confirmation was touching. © fujione / Reddit
• I’m a single dad who does it 50/50. One day, I was in Walmart when a woman overheard me talking to my son, who was four at the time.
  We crossed paths later, and she complimented me on how I talked to him. She said, “There aren’t many dads who are like that with their kids. It’s really nice to see.”
  I was completely stunned, and I could only muster a weak “Thank you” to maintain my composure. I had to stop for a few minutes to process it; I was so overwhelmed that I started to cry.
  I’ve been trying so hard to raise my little guy since he was a year old. There have been times when I’ve struggled, but I’ve tried to do things right. No one ever asks me how I’m doing. I’ve had people treat me terribly since my breakup, and I only talk to a few people now.
  His mom and I are on good terms as co-parents, and I won’t ever change that. Having a complete stranger stop and compliment me like that meant so much. © j1ggy / Reddit

• Not a woman, but a little girl. I’m a guy with long hair, and she told me that I looked like a princess. Her parents were mortified, but I took it as the highest compliment the little girl could give me. © AndyBeagle / Reddit
• When my ex and I broke up, she said, “All I want is for you to be kind to yourself.” I immediately started sobbing in her arms after hearing that. I put off getting help for the longest time, even during our relationship. It took hearing those words to finally prompt me to do something about it, and I’m doing much better now. © PrestigeWorldWide993 / Reddit
• My mom passed away a couple of years ago, and I had been her primary caregiver for over ten years before that. She was a single mom and meant everything to me. I have severe confidence issues and have struggled with depression.
  To be frank, I was lazy. After my mom passed away, I lost everything. I had a trial by fire trying to become a functioning adult, all within about two months.
  A couple of months ago, I took my grandma, her mom, out to lunch, and she looked at me and said, “Your mom would be so proud of you.” Her words hit me like a ton of bricks because I still feel like I’m behind everyone else my age, and I haven’t really ever experienced that before. © EppsXIII / Reddit

Whether it was a compliment they’d never heard before or a reminder they desperately needed to hear, these moments prove how powerful simple words can be when they come from the heart. And if you’re curious to dive deeper into more moments like these, where everyday words unexpectedly rewrote someone’s story, you’ll want to check out our other roundup of unforgettable internet gems.