I love you!

I learned of a new widow today.

I also had the opportunity to minister
to a man whose wife of many years
received a terminal diagnosis today.

My Lanny Love has been out of the country
for 15 days.
He is on the way home and is,
this moment,
on layover in Paris.
Why that bothers me is irrelevant
outside of the fact that
it brings up great loss for me
which has made me even more anxious
to have him home,
more eager to look into his face to say
"I love you!"

These three things,
and a comment someone made to me a while ago,
have made me decide to talk about saying
"I love you!"

I say "I love you!" a lot!
I say it to my Lanny Love often throughout each day.
I say it to my kids every single time
I see or talk to them.
I say it to my grandchildren every single time
I see or talk to them.
I say it to my siblings.
I say it to my best friend.

And I like to hear it!
A lot!

I have someone in my life
who thinks I say it too much.
I'm not sure why they think that,
there was no explanation offered
and I didn't ask.
I tried to cut back saying it to that person though.
It hasn't worked out very well.
Because I really love them.
And I have to make a conscious effort
to not say it so often.
Perhaps they think I say it casually.
Or out of habit.
Or just as something to say.
I don't.

When I say it,

I mean it.

When I say it,

I am feeling it.

Always!

So, I've been thinking about it.

And today, as my heart hurts for these two individuals

who are grieving the loss of their spouse;

as I wait for my Lanny Love to return to me;

as I think about the loss of my precious Al,

my mother-in-law,

my grandma,

and others over the last two years,

I have decided that I won't cut back or stop saying

"I love you!"

to those I love.

Here's the thing.

Never once have I thought to myself,

"Gee, I really wish I hadn't told Al

that I loved him so often!"

Or,

"Golly, he said that a lot!

I sure got tired of hearing it!"

No!

But a million times in the last 2 1/2 years

I've wished he could hear me say it one more time,

that I could hear him say it one more time.

Just once more.

But once more wouldn't be enough!

I'd want one more after that!

And one more after that!

And...

So say it I will!!!

And I hope you will say it too!

Often!

Because one day, you'll wish you could say it ~

just one more time!