How to Stay Close When You're Apart

My husband's been my hero since the moment I met him, but I never imagined he could be someone else's hero, too. True story: I almost lost him last week. He's a business aviation manager and pilot. Halfway around the world, the VIP Boeing 737 aircraft he was flying lost power on both engines immediately after takeoff. Miraculously, enough power remained that he managed to turn the plane around and land safely. All five agencies investigating the incident don't really know what to say to him; they told him they aren't used to speaking to a pilot after both engines fail on a two-engine aircraft. All they could say was, "Congratulations!"

The funny thing is, I knew something was up when it happened. I was driving to the set of a wedding show I'm working on and was compelled to pull over (yes, I signed Oprah's No Phone Zone pledge) to text him: "Can you please call me now?" Something I never, ever do. He called me right back and asked why I sent him that message. I told him I wasn't sure, but that I just really needed to hear his voice. "Something happened," he said, "but everyone is okay." By all accounts, it was a miracle. He saved the lives of his passengers and crew.

Working on the wedding project helped me get through that day; we were celebrating lifelong connections. Even though my husband and I are often thousands of miles away from each other, we are always connected. I believe it's the little things that count the most, the silly little rituals we do every day when we're in the same room that unite our hearts and minds when we're apart.

Get great ideas for daily rituals to show your love