More than I love you

 Many people have tried to find a phrase stronger and more meaningful than "I love you." A feeling that brings you so much joy and happiness that it eats at your heart like a prisoner of words locked away and can't escape. Eight little letters that have withstood countless years are accepted as the universal phrase of expressing a feeling like no other. But now those words are spoken not out of true love but more of a greeting that, when spoken, seems to lose something in the translation.

You hear those three words spoken in everyday circumstances, like when two lost friends find each other again, and the last thing they say is, "I love you; let's not be strangers again." Or two men briefly hugging and saying, "I love you, man." These are greetings, not the true meaning of a phrase that should be personal and fill your heart with a feeling like no other you've ever experienced.

Saying I love you isn't the same as saying things like I love cherry pie, I love the new Chevy trucks, I love this weather, or I love your dress. The true meaning of love should be in a class of its own, with words that stay hidden until another love as strong as your own unlocks your heart.

So, what could this new sentiment say? Try to find one with as much feeling as possible, but don't count on success. It's like trying to write a new Christmas song that becomes a classic—it's just not happening. Three words, but why not four or five that show how you feel?

You complete me, and I give you my heart. You're all I need to fulfill me. We were meant to be. These are all lovely sentiments, but  somehow none can compare to "I love you."

So I'll keep searching for the perfect words and probably go to my final rest hearing people say how much they loved me. I must tell you, I'll probably turn over in my grave begging to hear more than that.

Mike 2024