I Love You

"I love you" is a phrase that loses neither strength nor significance, no matter how often you say it. My son and I must say it to each other at least two times an hour—and yet it always means just as much. This morning, I was remembering the first time he said it to me and how amazing that felt. We were in a store, with him sitting in the basket while I was pushing it. I tend to say "I love you" a lot—especially to him—so I said it for no reason at all. And he answered. My heart soared! This little boy (probably around two at the time) had never told me he loved me, yet here he was, saying, "I love you too."

There is power in those three little words, and they should not be shared lightly. Too often, people just throw out words of love, which they've really confused with lust. Or they say them because they feel obligated due to the nature of the relationship or the fact that the other person said them first.

I think that we all have the capacity to love many people at many different levels. We love our children differently than we love our parents. Our friends hold a different place in our hearts than our partners. But we don't tend to say "I love you" as often as we should to our friends, while we say it often to our partners and children. Why is that? Don't we all enjoy hearing how others feel about us?

I am proud of the fact that my son shares those words with me freely and often. I think it will set him up with confidence to open himself to others emotionally. He has a big heart, and we talk a lot about how we can hold many people in our hearts, especially as I grow closer to DW and his boys.

And of course, I love hearing "I love you" regularly. What a way to go through the day!