Jul 12
Although many people use this powerful phrase loosely, there are times when you want to
say “I love you” in a meaningful way. Whether you’re professing your love to a romantic partner or expressing it to a relative or friend, it can be difficult to convey how much they really mean to you. But by keeping the following suggestions in mind, hopefully your love will not only be understood, but it will also be welcomed and returned.
Steps
Define love The sincerity of the phrase is
strengthened by knowing what love is, and what loving someone means to you. Determine the difference between love, infatuation and lust, and make sure it’s genuine love that you feel for this person. Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.
Make it special. For many people, dropping the “I” allows the sentiment to be expressed casually, such as before separating (e.g. “Time to go. Bye! Love you!”). Using the full phrase, however, can be reserved for more intimate moments, especially during a special event, such as when a child is just born, or even to reassure someone when bad news has been received or during moments of cherished silence, like after a kiss.
Make eye contact. If you love this person, hopefully you feel comfortable enough to gaze into their eyes when you express your feelings. Making eye contact shows sincerity and communicates trust. Read the rest of this entry »
Jul 11
The skill, or perhaps art, of how to write romantic love letters is at risk of falling by the
wayside. In our high tech world, many people choose to communicate electronically, and while we do still take the time to write romantic emails, these may not last as long thanks to computer crashes and hard-disk restores.
For historians the fact that it was common practice in past times to write love letters to objects of affection is well appreciated today. Much of what we have learned about day to day life of times gone by has come from this, especially as love notes are often cherished possessions that are kept for years, and perhaps even after the love has died the letters can remain.
Keep this in mind when you begin to write love letters. Use good quality paper and envelopes, and a pen that will not fade or smudge, and your letters should stand up to being folded and unfolded and reread throughout the years. Read the rest of this entry »
Jun 20
So many of us hold on to little resentments that may have stemmed from an argument, a
misunderstanding, the way we were raised, or some other painful event. Stubbornly, we wait for someone else to reach out to us - believing this is the only way we can forgive or rekindle a friendship or family relationship.
An acquaintance of mine, whose health isn’t very good, recently told me that she hasn’t spoken to her son in almost three years. “Why not?” I asked. She said that she and her son had had a disagreement about his wife and that she wouldn’t speak to him again unless he called first. When I suggested that she be the one to reach out, she resisted initially and said, “I can’t do that. He’s the one who should apologize.” She was literally willing to die before reaching out to her only son. After a little gentle encouragement , however, she did decide to be the first one to reach out. To her amazement, her son was grateful for her willingness to call and offered an apology of his own. As is usually the case when someone takes the chance and reaches out, everyone wins.
Whenever we hold on to our anger, we turn “small stuff” into really “big stuff” in our minds. We start to believe that our positions are more important than our happiness. They are not. If you want to be a more peaceful person you must understand that being right is almost never more important than allowing yourself to be happy. The way to be happy is to let go, and reach out. Let other people be right. This doesn’t mean that you’re wrong. Everything will be fine. You’ll experience the peace of letting go, as well as the joy of letting others be right. You’ll also notice that, as you reach out and let others be “right”, they will become less defensive and more loving toward you. They might even reach back. But, if for some reason they don’t, that’s okay too. You’ll have the inner satisfaction of knowing that you have done your part to create a more loving world, and certainly you’ll be more peaceful yourself. Read the rest of this entry »