Three of some of the best or three of the worst words in the English language – it all depends on how you are feeling at the time; sometimes they can just be three words.

Remember the first time you told someone in your life, “I love you”?  For most of us it was probably one of our parents or a grandparent and we may not even remember that very first time.  Certainly the older most of us get, the harder it becomes to remember anything from when we were younger than about three – I definitely remember things that happened when I was three.

Since we’re doing “remember when”s let’s remember the first person of the opposite sex (not parent or sibling or any other relative) that you said it to – can you remember that person, anything about that person?  I can.  I can because it was the first time I felt that way about a person who wasn’t related to me; I can remember almost every thing about him.

How about friends? Have you ever said “I love you” to any of your friends (regardless of gender) because they were closer to you then some of your other friends or family? There a few of my friends that I have said I love you to.

Sometimes when I say it to a friend they aren’t quite sure what to say.  I remember one of my guy friends, the first time I said it on the phone to him. Now that was a moment that makes me smile to this day.  We both were just newly divorced and hung out with each other on the weekends we didn’t have our kids.  He fixed my vehicle, I cooked for him.  Sometimes we’d go out to the local bar and have their prime rib special, other times we’d sit at his place and watch hockey or NASCAR depending on the time of year.  Both of us were dating other people at the time, so it wasn’t anything more than friends. (Don’t get that look on your face) One day we were talking on the phone and he was reminding me that the next weekend I had to come over and get my oil changed, tires rotated. The call was coming to an end and I don’t know if it was out of habit from normally talking to my kids or what but I said (quite plainly) “Talk to you soon. Love ya. Bye” and hung up the phone.  It didn’t stay hung up for long, as it was ringing about 10 seconds later. The call was from him and the first thing that he said was, “Did you just say Love ya?”  Yes, yes I did – because you are one of my best friends and I will always love you.  (Yes, my hubby knows; knows him and understands it; his wife – well, let’s just say that she isn’t really a fan of mine.

If you’re married, can you remember when you started dating your spouse and the first time you said “I love you” and do you still feel the same way now, that you did then when it was first said?

“I love you” is just as, if not more, powerful to say to a person than saying “I hate you”. And really, wouldn’t you rather be telling someone that you love them than ever uttering that you hate them??

Think about that for awhile.  In the mean time, remember that someone loves you.