cherish
/ˈtʃɛɹɪʃ/verb
To hold someone or something dear and look after it with love and care.
Example sentences
- “She cherishes the letters her grandmother sent her.”
- “We cherish every holiday we spend together as a family.”
Takes an object you already have: you cherish a memory, a friendship, a photo. Longing for what you lack is 'yearn' or 'covet'.