Time stops the first time you tell someone you love him or her. Eyes are locked, hearts are melting and somehow, “A Whole New World” is playing in the background.
Yeah, that never happens. We all know telling someone you love them is one of scariest things a young heart can do.
That doesn’t matter though, because love does crazy things to people; it made Tom Cruise jump on top of a sofa in front of Oprah. It makes food taste better and before you know it, your life becomes some sort of Taylor Swift song – the happy ones.
Love, however, can be confused many times for lust. Love is not about physical attraction or about posting annoying couple photos on Facebook, but rather a mutual deep feeling for each other. Aside from that warm, awesome feeling you get every time their name pops up on your phone, love is honest, comfortable and brings you food when you’re starving at work. Maybe not that last one, but that’s always a plus.
When you finally find the courage to drop the “L Bomb,” it’s all about timing. Like my mother never sang, “You can’t hurry love, no, you’ll just have to wait.” You don’t want to say it when you’re drunk, half passed out in the back of your friend’s car or in the middle of intercourse.
I’ve been hit by cupid’s arrow a few times. The most memorable time that I’ve bravely expressed my love with syllables was when I was dating a guy for about five months. I was running late to work and I couldn’t find my keys. As we both searched frantically, he finally found them hidden deep in the cracks of his sofa and out of pure excitement, I blurted out, “Yes, I got to go. I love you, bye… Wait, what?” I couldn’t get out of that room any faster. All day, I was wondering, “Did he hear me? Why didn’t he say it back?”
The next day, when we were sitting in his room watching “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit,” he said it and I was so relieved. After spending so much time together, it felt so natural and way overdue. I wish I had just said it sooner, or at least not run away like a coward.
So stop writing those horrible poems and simply say it: I love you.
