Throughout the years, we are taught from young age that saying “I love you” can have detrimental impacts, especially when said to the wrong person at the wrong time. In this day and decade, with social media and the like, it’s a taboo to say it too early.
And really, the problem with this is it has formatted our brains to not want to say it to your significant other until the time is right. If you have anxiety or abandonment issues, this hits even harder, because you’ll do anything to keep your relationship intact- meaning you won’t dare confess those three words.
I have seen countless posts’ about how “nobody will ever love” them, and they’ll “die alone”, never finding a significant other to share a biased outlook on relationships with. They forget how they are surrounded by people who love them, and it’s reciprocated both ways: their parents, their friends, their pets. But because it’s not seen as real love it doesn’t count; for some reason, if the person who loves you is not the one you’re dating, then it might as well not exist.
For some reason, if the person who loves you is not the one you’re dating, then it might as well not exist.
Since when did love become something only shared between two (or more, given your sexuality) people?
This is why I’m arguing that “I love you” shouldn’t be said in special circumstances; don’t listen to the articles littering the internet about why it’s terrible and you should be ashamed if the thought of saying “I love you” even crosses your mind. In reality, you’re most likely surrounded by those who love you and want the best for your daily, but you never give them enough credit.
I read an amazing essay awhile ago, titled “Friends Without Benefits.” It features a woman who falls in love with a man, and confesses only after he is married and has a family, in hopes that maybe he’ll feel the same. This is a good example in how it’s important to never save your feelings until it’s too late- life is too short to remain stagnant, so how will you move forward if you live by the stigma surrounding “I love you”?
Tell your parents you love them. Tell your friends you love them. Tell your pets you love them. Tell your crush how you feel. If you continue living under the assumption that saying those three words is meaningless unless told to or coming from a special person, it’s impossible to find peace. They deserve your love.
