When a Gentoo penguin has a crush, the way to their lover’s hearts is simple: A pebble.
The flightless birds gift each other rocks, which are used to build nests, to signal that they’re interested in becoming a mating pair.
Now, it seems, humans are taking a page from the Antarctic animals, as a trend known as “pebbling” takes hold.
How it works: A thoughtful lover gives their significant other some sort of gift, whether it be a cup of coffee or a sweet viral video, to brighten their day.
“Pebbling started with the advent of meme sending as a form of creating a connection with people,” Gigi Engle, a relationship expert and psychotherapist Gigi Engle told Metro.
“I think it’s the cutest thing ever because memes are a love language these days,”
Maybe you’re sending each other funny posts about relationships on Instagram, or TikTok videos that made you laugh.
“You simply see something that reminds you of someone you love, and you send it to them,” Engle noted.
It may seem silly, but the act of sending someone something funny can actually strengthen a relationship, she explained, “because it’s similar to sending a message saying, “I saw this and thought of you.’”
“Pebbling can be a really good way of building banter and a connection with a partner,” she added.
But if the pebbles — read: memes, videos and posts — suddenly cease, it could signal something is wrong; or worse, they’re ghosting.
“Pebbling does have the potential to set an expectation of communication you’re going to have throughout your relationship, so that’s something to keep in mind,” Engle said.
“If you stop pebbling, the other person may wonder what they did wrong.”
