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Couple with 6-inch height difference proves 'short king/tall queen' relationships are beautiful

Height is just a number.

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TikTok loves to celebrate relationships that fit our culturally accepted norms. 'Big manly guy plus dainty girl' equals algorithm gold! Every week there's a new challenge spawning hundreds of videos: Can you lift your girlfriend with one arm? Can you pick her up and sit her on your shoulder? Can you throw her over your shoulder like a military soldier?

Refreshingly, one couple is breaking the mold. Meet Ellie and Lucas. Lucas Byrd is currently the number one ranked collegiate wrestler in his weight class — not too shabby. Ellie Holzman is a former D-1 volleyball and softball player. But they're social media-famous as a couple for reasons that have nothing to do with their athletic accomplishments.

Yes, this TikTok couple is best known for their 6-inch height difference. Lucas stands at a modest 5' 6" (ideal leverage for a wrestler) while Ellie towers over him at 6' 2" (perfect for volleyball spikes).

The two share an account (@ellie_and_lucas) and document their relationship there with the cutest videos you've ever seen.

In one video, he playfully picks her up and promptly topples over in the process — 'lift your girlfriend' challenges be damned. In another, she dons high heels and he has to reach on his very tippy-toes to kiss her. In another clip, they run a photo of themselves through a cartoon filter — which bafflingly switches their heights and makes Lucas taller!

Through it all, one thing is clear: The striking height difference doesn't bother them one bit. In fact, they seem to have a lot of fun poking fun at it and playing with people's expectations in some of their 'skits'. Their non-chalance may not have always been the case, however.


@ellie_and_lucas

Just a boy (and girl) ✨in love✨

In an interview with Big Ten Network, Holzman said that she and Byrd started off as great friends. He had feelings for her but initially she had trouble seeing past the height difference. And it's true — there is a lot of pressure, judgment, and cultural taboo attached to height in relationships. A large majority of women prefer a male partner to be taller than them — and on the other hand, most men prefer to be the taller one in relationships. So falling into a situation that doesn't fit that mold can be uncomfortable at first, and it can take some mental reprogramming to get used to it.

"But then once I got over it, it flourished into this kind of beautiful thing," Holzman said.

People can't get enough of Lucas and Ellie's viral love story.

Not only are they a charming and fun-loving couple that's easy to root for (hence their top video having over 1.5 million views), Holzman and Byrd are offering amazing representation for the 'short king/tall queen' couples out there who don't have nearly enough visibility.

"I love the height difference representation my husband is 4 inches shorter than me," one commenter wrote under a video.

"the height rep 😭❤️ I’m 5’10 and my bf is 5’5- wishing you two nothing but the best," said another.

The short guys, out there, in particular are loving this story. They've been told their whole lives that dating a taller girl is off limits — quite literally, out of reach! — and are stunned to see that that's simply not true. Comments pour in every day from people saying that Lucas "won life."

@ellie_and_lucas

Still get giddy for date nights 😊😊

"Short kings, we need to study this man and his confidence. It’s possible," one joked.

"Dude is living the dream," wrote another.

Ellie, too, deserves plenty of props for looking past cultural taboos to find real love. While short guys who 'land' taller girlfriends get applauded for somehow pulling off the impossible, women risk being judged, mocked, and looked down upon if their partner doesn't fit certain gendered norms. It's yet another unfair double-standard standing in the way of couples just looking for a real connection.

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Height disparity in relationships is getting more visibility these days, which is slowly helping to normalize it.

The best and brightest example has to be Zendaya, who is about 2-3 inches taller than her fiance, Tom Holland — even taller in heels on the red carpet! There's also Tina Fey and her composer husband Jeff Richmond who have a height difference of about 3 inches. And there's Daniel Radcliffe (5' 5") and his girlfriend Erin Darke (5' 7").

But nobody has Ellie Holzman and Lucas Byrd beat. The confidence and love radiating in their videos — however silly they may be — really is making a difference out there by helping to give other short guys and tall the girls the courage to go for it.

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Joy

Two 87-yr-olds who've been friends for 75 years share the keys to sustaining a friendship

They could not be more precious.

Courtesy of Make Big Talk/Instagram

Barbara and Anne have known each other since grammar school.

Friendships often come and go in life as we move to new places, enter different life phases, or grow and change as people. But some friendships last through it all, weaving threads of connection and support throughout the decades. These treasured relationships give us countless shared memories—experiences, joys, and challenges—and sometimes they end up lasting longer than any other relationship a person has.

Take Barbara and Anne, for example. These two 87-year-olds went to grammar school and high school together and have been friends for 75 years. They're now both widowed and live next door to one another, and they shared with Kalina Silverman of Make Big Talk the key to seeing their friendship flourish over the years.

"We both lost our husbands. and that even brought us even closer together," shared Anne. "Now Barbara lives right next door to me, so we're hooked into each other every day, which is a good thing because in old age? Nice to have friends around you."

When asked what key is to sustaining a friendship, the women cited two things: travel and lots of laughter.

"You know, the true test of a friendship or any relationship is: Can you travel together?" said Anne.

"We laugh at the same things," said Barbara. "For instance that car right there that doesn't have a driver that's going by. I mean, we can never get over that. We just laugh so much, you know? We just do. We get a kick out of each other. We get a kick out of the people we meet, and we have met quite a few people, too, with our walks."

The women said that people will honk their horns and wave at them when they're out walking, and they'll look at each other and ask if the other knew who it was, and they have no idea.

"We can laugh about all of this," said Anne. "And we do," added Barbara.

Barbara and Anne are two of the strangers that Kalina Silverman has spoken to as the creator of Make Big Talk. So often, we engage with people only on a surface level—making small talk—but most of us yearn to engage on a deeper level. Big Talk is a way to do that.

"Big Talk is a communication approach for skipping small talk to make genuine, meaningful connections with those around you – loved ones, colleagues, classmates, teammates, community members, or even total strangers," Silverman writes on her website. "By prompting deep, open-ended questions, Big Talk conversations allow people to share life stories, lessons, and experiences, enriching relationships profoundly."

The Big Talk journey started with Silverman's desire to connect with people on a deeper level. She started experimenting conversing with strangers, which led to a TED Talk, a Fulbright scholarship, the Big Talk Question Card Game and app, workshops, an Instagram page and now an upcoming book slated to come out in the spring of 2026.

Silverman points out that Big Talk can help combat the epidemic of loneliness that so many people feel. "While technology connects us globally, it often hinders our ability to engage meaningfully in face-to-face conversations. Learning to make Big Talk not only combats feelings of isolation but also boosts communication skills, strengthens relationships, and fosters a greater sense of belonging within our communities at work, home, and school – and in the broader world."

What are some examples of Big Talk questions? Here's a handful:

What is your greatest strength?

How do you show love?

What is your next great adventure?

What idea has intrigued you lately?

What are the most beautiful sights you've seen?

If you had the freedom to do anything right now, what would you do?

Big Talk questions are open-ended (not yes/no) and designed to be answerable by anyone of any age or background. Questions like these often inspire people to share their personal stories and help build more authentic relationships. In a world where people are more technologically connected than ever but where many still feel disconnected and lonely, Big Talk questions might help bring people together in meaningful ways, forming bonds that lead to a greater sense of community.

You can see these questions in action on the Make Big Talk Instagram page and learn more about making conversations more meaningful at makebigtalk.com.

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Woman reconnects with her high school bully and finds out people aren't always who they once seemed

Almost everyone has been bullied. Not even gets to have a surprising reunion.

Photo by Obie Fernandez on Unsplash
girl in blue sleeveless dress

Bullies. So many of us had them. Whether it was the subtle "Mean Girls" digs or full-on being shoved into a locker, there was usually that ONE (or three) person in your younger years who made your stomach drop the moment you saw them. They seemed to live to make your life miserable, and all too often, they succeeded.


i know right mean girls GIFGiphy

A woman took to Reddit and asked, "Who got bullied in school/college? Where are your bullies now?"

Great question. As someone who Insta-stalks every single crush I've had since kindergarten, it never occurred to me to look up the people who hadn’t always been so pleasant.

After the OP posed the question, she told her own story. "There was a group of girls, particularly one girl who'd pick on me. Basically, her boyfriend had broken up with her because he had started to like me. So yeah, she'd bully me a lot, and I never had a good relationship with her in school."

But things took a surprising turn somewhat recently! She adds, "…until a year ago, our best friends from school basically cheated on us with each other. (I don't have a better way to explain this, but yeah, we both got abandoned by our best friends.) This left us dealing with a lot of mental issues. During this time, we both connected with each other online and became each other's emotional support."

It gets even better. "She apologized to me for everything she'd done, and I genuinely forgave her. We've become really, really close now, and it makes me happy to think that things turned out this way."

Many Reddit users chimed in to tell their own tales of bullying and updates on their whereabouts. Said bullies' lives reportedly ranged from fabulous and successful (one runs a Fortune 500 company) to not-so-great and possibly current cult members. One person adds a funny observation about hypocrisy: "A lot of them are now 'life coaches' and 'influencers' who talk about loving yourself and being kind. F-ing irony."

woman in pink tank top and blue denim jeans sitting on yellow chair Photo by Laura Chouette on Unsplash

Instead of befriending their bullies, many on the thread have learned to take their power back by simply ignoring them. One shares, "I get repeated follow requests on Instagram from one of them. He passively stalks me. Two years ago, he DM'd me, and I just saw it and screenshot it. Later, he would proceed to like my Instagram stories and photos, and as usual, I kept ignoring him. LMAO."

Looking Good Social Media GIF by TravisGiphy

She says it didn't even occur to her that this was some sort of victory: "I was so much into my own world that it took me a while to realize how some people can perceive this as a victorious/ 'revenge' moment."

And lastly, there's the perspective that comes with age. A Redditor shares that after attending her 25th high school reunion, she saw this group for what they really were:
"It was glaringly obvious. Once they ascertained my station in life, they grudgingly offered some polite greetings, but they couldn't hide their disdain on their faces. From time to time, they checked if they could get away with laughing at something about me. When they couldn't get any reaction, they looked disappointed."

romy and micheles high school reunion GIFGiphy

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Couples share why Valentine's Day for them is February 15th

These couples might be onto something.

Photo credit: Canva

Many couples are celebrating Valentine's Day the day after or later.

Valentine’s Day is a day to celebrate your love with a special dining night out, lavish gifts, chocolate, and all-out memorable experiences. That is, if you live in the movies. For many people, February 14th is a special day with your special someone, but for a growing number of couples it’s just another day in the week. Don’t get it twisted, it’s not that they don’t celebrate Valentine’s Day. It’s just that they celebrate it on February 15th or later.

Folks on Reddit are praising this method. “Got into the packed steakhouse last night where there was practically nobody there,” said one poster. “Flowers and candy were more than half off. Get your partner to accept celebrating Valentine’s on the 15th.”

Other posters have co-signed this philosophy, with one stating the obvious:

“We stopped celebrating on the 14th years ago. Things always cost more. Restaurants are packed. Service and food quality are mediocre, since they're packed. Ubers are surge priced. There's just no good reason—other than the symbolism—to force a celebration the day of. We typically go out the weekend before or after.”

Valentine’s Day is big business in the United States. In spite of Americans scaling back on spending on the holiday last year, the National Retail Federation is projecting $27.5 billion in spending on Valentine’s Day in 2025. That’s a lot of overpriced stuffed bears with hearts and marked up chocolate! It’s gotten to the point that according to the New York Times, marketers and businesses are creating anti-Valentine’s Day products, sales, and movements to ensure they aren’t missing potential customers that revolt against the holiday.

As pointed out by those couples, celebrating the day after or even the weekend after the official Valentine’s Day date can offer deep discounts on chocolate, wine, stuffed animals, and many other products for you and your partner to indulge in. There might even be restaurants in your area that would still serve the Valentine’s Day specials at a lower price in order to sell off the extra lobster, beef, shrimp, etc. that they bulked up on for the busier holiday.

But the discounts and frugality of celebrating Valentine’s Day on February 15th or any other date isn’t the only reason to consider it. Some couples love doing it because they feel like they’re being “discount bandits” like a Bonny and Clyde for deals, loving the fact they’re enjoying each other and their “haul” feeling like they’ve gotten away with something. Or they feel like making Valentine’s Day even more exclusive and special by making it on March 1st or September 8th or whenever they feel like it. Or they just would rather do small loving things each day and have “little” Valentine’s Day every day.

Man kissing woman on the beachFor some couples, Valentine's Day could be a random beach day in the summer.Photo credit: Canva

No matter how or when you spend Valentine’s Day, everyone seems to agree that it’s best when you and your partner make it your own way that works for you both. After all, when you come down to it, it’s all supposed to be about you as a couple. Now pass the discount Reese’s peanut butter cup hearts!

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