Wow! As an only child, I focus on saying “I love you” to my + 1 in life and my children. It NEVER occurred to me to encourage them to say it to each other!!! The experiences with your mom seem unbelievable except that you are a factual reporter, which makes that account believable and touching.
Beautiful. Loved your mom's moment of clarity as the pool of love you all surrounded her with filled her up. I also found this so insightful: "When saying “I love you,” to someone, our hearts bond and we relate as equals, without hierarchy." TY!
James, this really resonated. I grew up in a close, loving family that did not outwardly share emotions. Of course I knew I was loved but my parents didn't say I love you. When my son was born, I vowed that he would know every day how much he was loved, becasue I would show him and tell him. That carried over into telling my againg parents I loved them. Today, my young adult son and I don't hang up the phone or go to bed without saying I love you.
Tracy, I find the more I say I love you, the more I say I love you, especially to close friends after interactions. And I’ve found some of them telling me in future interactions before I can express it to them. ❤️. Thank you for reading and commenting.
Oh man the end of this gave me the chills. That moment must have been so powerful.
We definitely did not say I love you that often growing up. I say it a lot now, but I would like to hold it as my kids age, and keep the tradition. Thanks for the encouragement.
Thanks for reading, Mikaela. That moment was indeed powerful. I find it fascinating, even two years later, that the signal of touch and emotional words still goes in, and warmth comes back out. Yet when you exchange information, like "How was your lunch?" It's as if nothing goes in, and nothing comes back out. Caregivers to the elderly—loving on them daily—are heroes in my book. I think you said you do hospice work. You're a Hero.
I really liked this, especially the mention of you and your brother. Growing up there were five kids in my family: me, two brothers and two sisters. My older sister died suddenly a year and a half ago. God always brings good things out of adverse circumstances if you let him and one result of her death was that it brought my brothers and me closer together. We live in different states so most communication is over the phone. We talk more frequently these days and we never end a phone call without telling each other “I love you.” We’ve always known that but it’s only been recently that we’ve fallen into the habit of vocalizing it and it’s reminded us of how much we need and accept each other. As you said, it’s transformational.
It’s great that our paths have intersected again after 25 years. Considering the relatively short time we worked together (What was it, a year?) you had an outsized influence on my personal and professional life that persists to this day. Thanks James.
Wow! As an only child, I focus on saying “I love you” to my + 1 in life and my children. It NEVER occurred to me to encourage them to say it to each other!!! The experiences with your mom seem unbelievable except that you are a factual reporter, which makes that account believable and touching.
Kris, thank you so much for your words. I love you so much! You're an amazing mom, wife, AND contribution to the world!
Beautiful. Loved your mom's moment of clarity as the pool of love you all surrounded her with filled her up. I also found this so insightful: "When saying “I love you,” to someone, our hearts bond and we relate as equals, without hierarchy." TY!
Sarah, you are so welcome. TY for starting us down this path :)
James, this really resonated. I grew up in a close, loving family that did not outwardly share emotions. Of course I knew I was loved but my parents didn't say I love you. When my son was born, I vowed that he would know every day how much he was loved, becasue I would show him and tell him. That carried over into telling my againg parents I loved them. Today, my young adult son and I don't hang up the phone or go to bed without saying I love you.
Tracy, I find the more I say I love you, the more I say I love you, especially to close friends after interactions. And I’ve found some of them telling me in future interactions before I can express it to them. ❤️. Thank you for reading and commenting.
Oh man the end of this gave me the chills. That moment must have been so powerful.
We definitely did not say I love you that often growing up. I say it a lot now, but I would like to hold it as my kids age, and keep the tradition. Thanks for the encouragement.
Thanks for reading, Mikaela. That moment was indeed powerful. I find it fascinating, even two years later, that the signal of touch and emotional words still goes in, and warmth comes back out. Yet when you exchange information, like "How was your lunch?" It's as if nothing goes in, and nothing comes back out. Caregivers to the elderly—loving on them daily—are heroes in my book. I think you said you do hospice work. You're a Hero.
I only just started! Thank you though. I’ll try to tell myself I am ;)
Fills my heart ... thank you, James.
I really liked this, especially the mention of you and your brother. Growing up there were five kids in my family: me, two brothers and two sisters. My older sister died suddenly a year and a half ago. God always brings good things out of adverse circumstances if you let him and one result of her death was that it brought my brothers and me closer together. We live in different states so most communication is over the phone. We talk more frequently these days and we never end a phone call without telling each other “I love you.” We’ve always known that but it’s only been recently that we’ve fallen into the habit of vocalizing it and it’s reminded us of how much we need and accept each other. As you said, it’s transformational.
It’s great that our paths have intersected again after 25 years. Considering the relatively short time we worked together (What was it, a year?) you had an outsized influence on my personal and professional life that persists to this day. Thanks James.
I love you James. I see all you do for my family, yours, and our community, and I am grateful to know and love you.