{5 on Friday} Why I say I Love You...a Lot....

my sparkly heart made with love by the beautiful Corinna.....love it, love you....xo

It wasn't always easy for me..... I grew up in a family that didn't show a lot of emotion.... we didn't say 'I love you....' We didn't talk a about our feelings, or show a lot of affection. Dont' get my wrong... I knew I was loved, but we just didn't show/say it.

That all changed when I got married and had children...... It comes so easy for me.... the words just roll off my tongue... my boys too.... all three of them..... John, Brett and Bryce. We say I love you a lot...almost daily.....we hug a lot too.... It's natural.... It's nothing for my boys to say I love you Mommmmm....even in front of friends. We are far from the 'perfect' family, but we do know how to love each other... And for that my heart is full of gratitude.

I will never forget..... Bryce was about 10.... a woman he barely knew came to the door to drop something off.... as she was leaving.... I heard him say... 'love you'...... He was so used to saying it.... it just came out.... We've giggled about that for years.

I also say I love you to my friends...It's easy... natural.... I want peope to know... they are loved... I love them.. and I appreciate them.... 

I'm stilll working on saying it to my parents.... in fact it wasn't til they started to go south for the winter that we began to say it at all...ever... Hmmmm... I wonder when we stopped? 

I'm not saying that these 3 simple words replace the true action of loving someone, but I do know I never tire of hearing it....or saying it.

::

5 reasons I love to say ..... i love you.....

1. Love - of course... when you really love someone...why not say it...and often?.....

2. We all need to hear it.... People love to know they are loved....I love to tell them so.

3. To hear it back - funny, but usually when I say I love you... I get to hear it back..... and that never gets old.

4. In the midst of conflict.... if I am in a disagreement, especially with my boys.... I try to say I love you.... to me that says... no matter what are mad about, no matter what we may have said, no matter how ugly this may be....I still love you.

5. You never know.....  when we went through our 'tough time' with Bryce..... whenever he left the house I sat in fear, praying he would return home safe, in one piece..... saying I love you....when he left, through text messages, or on the phone.... that was often all I had to hold onto..... The thing is....difficult time or not... you never know when it may be the last time... why hold onto the love when you can share it?

::

I am linking up with Reflection of You..... 5 on Friday.... Please pop over and check it out. We'd love to have you join in.

love always....

xo,

 

Comments

[Sherri B.]

There's no better word on this earth, yet it is sometimes to difficult to say it out loud. Isn't that something? I think it's the vulnerability of it. Yes, hearing this word is music to my ears...how beautifully you've expressed your thoughts about this, Kim. I love your photo, too! Have a wonderful weekend. :)

[Sylvia]

Such a touching 'I love you' post, Kim, beautifully said !
Nice weekend,
Sylvia

[Dotti]

Such a thoughtful, honest and inspiring post. I am learning so much from you, Kim ... and it's not all about photography! :-D
Keep on being you.

I love you! And over the top happy to have met you in PS.

xo

[Robyn]

Love your post! Can never get enough I love you's from my kids!
I'm still laughing about your son telling the women he loved her!

[Sarah]

So sweet Kim. The world needs more love! I have a hard time saying I love you to my parents too, your parents sound a lot like mine. When my dad was in the hospital a few weeks ago, it made me realize that I need to say it more to him.

[Paige]

This describes me as well Kim! My parents never said it and I don't remember them being super affectionate. I know how much they love me and they showed us in plenty of other ways, but saying it still doesn't happen between us. Now that I have a son, the words pour out of me many times a day (and have to my husband since I met him). And when I hear my little guy say "Ah luh loo!" in his tiny, high pitched voice I melt.

[Karen]

Very beautiful thoughts, and such a sweet heart. I grew up in a family that doesn't say it, so marrying into my husbands family was a bit of an adjustment! But it's important to say and to show!

[Viv Halliwell]

It's true what they say that Love makes the world go round....

[Cheryl]

I can't believe how much our lives parellel each other's. Love was not spoken in my home growing up either until it was almost to late. Like you now, it's my mantra and it feels so good right down to my toes to say it and hear it. Funny that you posted this today....another first with my Liam. He calls me on the phone early this morning and just says "Love you Nana" and hands the phone to his Mom. My day couldn't have started any more perfectly.
So Kim thanks for this post, your generous heart and your sharing. I love you. True story.

[Heidi M]

This is very profound, Kim.
In my family those words were never, ever said or heard. In my married-family they seem thrown about with abandon ... just words - not deeds.
To my nephew, the person I love the most in the world, I will say "I love you a million", a hold-over from when he was a child. But a serious, from the heart: "I love you" (to anyone) - would reduce me to tears.
Heidi

[Kathryn Dyche Dechairo]

I love all that you do! Great post Kim.

[Barb]

So inspirational and thoughtful. My parents were never demonstrative, but it comes easily to me and I passed it on to my daughters.

[mary Underwood]

Taught my husband to say it to are kids and to hug them...he thanks me for that all the time :)

[Deanna]

We must have grown up in the same household...it wasn't until I met and married my husband and was surrounded by his family and their friends that hugs & I love you's began for me. Now it is easy and natural...so much better like this. Big hugs & love ya, Deanna

[Helen]

Oh my goodness .... number 5 ... I feel it. A lovely thought-provoking post!

[kelly n]

I'm the same way! I think it started in '96 when 3 people I loved died in one year. I started telling my friends I loved them when hanging up the phone, or leaving. I tell people all the time now. It really is good to hear and say. :)

[Candy C.]

What a lovely post and one we should all take to heart! :)

[Yvonne Michelle @Photecstasy]

It's so true, Kim. My sister and I haven't been so close for many years. We reconnected after my dad died, and then grew back apart. Her breast cancer that was supposedly gone recently came back and metastasized in her liver. She has 2-6 months to live. Needless to say, all those old feelings of whatever have vanished, and all I feel is love, love, love for my sister that I am going to lose most likely very soon (unless by some miracle, holistic and alternative medicine works magically).

I recently sent her a text asking her how she deals with this with such a positive attitude. I'm so miserable and grumpy with my PHN and my own pain that I want to crawl out of my skin. She sent me back a text and said there is so much to live for... grand babies, sunsets, full moons, the rain (all things my mom, she & I treasure)... and she said she wasn't going to give up. She was Alice & would slay the jabberwalky... that I needed to fight. That I needed to live, and not wait for a doctor to tell me I only had a few months left. Needless to say, that text blew me away, and I've tried to think about her fighting for her life. I've realized how foolish I've been not trying to tell my sister how much I love her (and show her) no matter what our differences were about. Don't wait. Love now. Your post is so dead on... saying I love you is so important, because we just don't know how long we have to tell that person we love them.

Thank you for your amazing inspiration I've had in my life every single day for almost a year now. You've been with me through my PHN battle, and have taught me to photograph differently. To keep at it, although I've been trapped. I know you're a little bit of a celebrity (and you just giggled reading that)... so you have a lot of fans, but I'm your biggest fan. Because you, my dear, have changed my life. You are always there when I am trapped and can't go anywhere. Waiting for me on my computer to lift, inspire, and open up (even if you need to "stop" posting about Ben so much, giggle, giggle - my most favorite of your stories of all)... You take time to like iGram posts, and read blog posts... You're not 'above" everyone else with airs. You demonstrate your love every single day, and you are a.m.a.z.i.n.g.!!! xoxo Love ya' girl!

[Stephanie]

You said it all so beautifully and it is obviouslyy from your heart.

[Therese]

Kim this was so touching. It make me choke all up.
I lost one of my brother's to cancer on September 26th. He was only 56 yrs old.
We are (oups were) 5 siblings, with only 6 years apart between me (the oldest) and my sister (the youngest), 3 brothers in the middle. We are probably the closest family I have ever known. We can't get enough of each others company.
But when Marcel passed away this year, I tried to remember if I ever actually told him I loved him.
It is so important to take the time to say those 3 little words before it is too late. I know now that I will make that effort to tell my husband, children, my family and friends that I love them all the time. Thank you for such a beautiful text.

[Carol]

Such an inspiring post, Kim! Thank you for the reminders to not take the love of family and friends for granted and to remember to let them know how much they mean to us!

[Xanthe]

I love you x.

[cheryl c.]

I left you a comment yesterday but I don't see it here...so instead of trying to remember what I wrote..
I'll jus say "I Love You..." and all you do...True Story...Sure hope you get this one...xoxo

[Patrice]

I tell my grown kids I love them every time I talk to them. I never want them to doubt that I do...

[Robyn]

LOVE, what a powerful word. I agree with you, Kim, it is an important feeling to express to those we love. We need to feel and hear it too.

[Sharon]

Such a really nice post Kim. I think many people must have grown up that way but you are right. It's so wonderful to be able to say it and sad that many people can't. I've been reading the many comments posted above and thinking how good you must be feeling knowing what a difference you are making to people's lives. Such a gift - to you and others both. You must smile each night before going to bed at this supportive, positive group that has grown around you. Thank you for being you!

[Roxi]

We poor souls who grew up in the north... My family was your family. It took a major disaster and my moving across the country for the hugs and I love yous to start. I still struggle with it being very natural sometimes. My hubby's was the same even tho he is from the south, but somehow he turned out very loving. I so appreciate you and love you too.