Saying "I Love You."

To this day, whenever I stay the night at my house, I tell my parents and siblings goodnight, and "I love you." It was just something I did as a kid, something I didn't even think about. In the back of my mind, I said it to make sure they knew how I felt, and in case they died, they'd would remember I loved them. The last thing I wanted was to lose them, and be unsure about how much I cared for them. I was not planning on losing them anytime soon, but it still felt neccessary. I remember there were numerous nights where I stayed up a little later, just to make sure my Dad got home safe from work, so I could say I love you. He always responded with an, "I love you also," and once I heard those words, I was able to go to bed. In college now, I am not waiting up to make sure my dad gets home from work. He works from the house, so I don't have to! :)
The reason I tell this story is because I want you to know that in my family, it was very important to always let one another know you loved them, and this has carried on with me to this day. One of the best things my parents did for me was shower me with their love, and it has made me a loving person as well. I can be very one-minded, arrogant, and numerous other bad things, but through my faults, my parents taught me to love and find the positives in people, including their strengths. It has helped me to be complimentary and that is what I want to talk about. Yes, being complimentary.

 

This campus is filled with so many wonderful people, yet they don't know how wonderful they really are. I know numerous people who don't think they are talented, beautiful, funny, etc, and it makes no sense. I am not writing this for admirations sake, hoping people go, "Oh, he is so nice!" I write this cause it is true. People don't know how talented they are, or blessed, and it might just be because someone didn't tell them.

I am not saying go out of your way and compliment every single person you see, but if you think someone looks nice, tell them. You thought someone played really well in their intermural game, well let them know. People like to feel appreciated, and know that they important. I am a firm believer in spending time with people, and I know the people I like to hang around with, are the people who bring me up, rather than down.

Through all of this, you might be wondering what the title of this most recent blog is talking about. Well I made the title, "Saying I Love You" to express the biggest compliment there is. Someone can compliment you in alot of ways, but through all compliments, and all interaction, what are we truly looking for in our friends and family? I'd say it is love. Not automatically "Let's date, you're so hot" love, but more of a love that is formed in one's relationship with Jesus Christ. In 1 John 4:18 it says, "God is Love." I love this verse, and the reason is because the message is simple. We must love all, and this is done by treating everyone the way we should treat God, making sacrifices for them, and living not just for ourselves.

When someone says, I love you, it normally means something, if it is between family, friends, or someone you are in a relationship with. We long to hear these words from different people, but in all honesty, I feel like "I love you" is not heard enough. One of my friends was in my room, and heading to bed, and while leaving, I said "Night! love you," because it is how I respond at home. It was a natural reaction, but it felt weird. He walked out of the room, then came back and asked me what I said. I explained, and then he said, "I love you too bro," then went to bed. Though it was kind of weird when it happened, it shouldn't have been. I truly love the kid, not in a weird way, but he is my brother in Christ, a great friend. It really made me realize that this shouldn't be a weird thing to say, but something I should be saying more often. When I write a letter or note, I always finish with Love, and once again, I am hesitant, but I shouldn't be. If I am writing a note to someone,  I definitely care for them.

With that.

Why are we hesitant to say it? Well for different reasons, pending on the person, but when it comes down to it, we need to let people know we care for them, and the word love is a way to do it. It might be only four letters, but its has the gravity of an earthquake.

Let the hearts of your friends quake.