I love words. It is possibly derived from the roots of me being a writer, but I truly love words. The way they sound. The way it feels as they roll off of my tongue. The way they make others feel…..negatively or positively. Words are powerful.
My love for the English language is not lost upon my family. I adore three words….I love you. Those three words sum up a potpourri of emotions. Dealing with teenagers, especially my boys, is always a challenge, but getting them to repeat those three words, is like asking them to throw themselves into oncoming traffic. Their silence is deafening. It’s as though my words weren’t not comprehended.
You may ask, why are you pushing them to repeat it? Well, for one, we are never guaranteed our time here. I don’t want the last words I hear or say to be hurtful or meaningless. Let’s be honest, I am human, so I don’t always do it perfect. Sometimes, there are other things I would rather say to them, but they are mostly rude and very unloving. The price of dealing with teenagers.
Today, with Bryce, I resorted to emotional warfare. As he got out of the car, I told him I loved him and he looked at me and giggled with the “you know I am not going to respond look”. I simply explained we aren’t guaranteed anything in life and I could die on the way home. He smiled and responded, “I love you, too.” Am I proud? Well, of course! You see, it doesn’t matter the circumstances, it is the message that we are only here for a short time. If they don’t learn anything else from me, I hope they remember how valuable those three words are to a person. It can make a difference. I am sure there will be many more silent acknowledgments, eye rolls, and deep sighs to endure, but I know that my boys will always remember the three words I said the most.
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