by Paul Schingle

Created on: April 02, 2009

I suppose, for some people, the saying can seem trite and just something we mumble quickly, without thinking. For those, I answer the question with a qualified no. No, you can't say "I love you" too much-as long as it's sincere. Personally, I don't think of myself as all that mushy. Perhaps others may disagree. I've always said that I almost say it out of superstition, but only to those for whom I mean it. Yes, some people have a tendency to quickly blurt it out, seemingly without conviction. If this is less than sincere, then it is unnecessary. But, if sincere, then you can't say it too much.

One of the writers for the other side wrote that saying "I love you" too often is akin to having your favorite flavor of ice cream every single day. Yes, it's still good, but it loses its novelty. It seems less-than-special. I suppose that could be true with ice cream-and, believe me, I love ice cream-but, again, if said in earnest, I don't think the same is true with "I love you." (To be completely honest, I'm not really sure it's true with ice cream, but I will concede the point).

For me, it all started back when I went away to college. This has been coming on thirty years ago, now. I always ended every conversation with my parents with "I love you." I've been doing it ever since. The same is true with every phone conversation with my significant other and with my son. It's generally true with my brothers, but I do have one brother who's not real comfortable with it, so some phone conversations don't have the usual ending with him. The fact is, he knows I love him and I know the same. Though I don't feel you can say it too much, I do believe you should be respectful of others. Some people just aren't comfortable hearing it or saying it. That's part of love, too-respect.

Back to my superstition. I don't really believe it's going to happen; I don't want it to happen; but, one fact of life is always going to be true. I may get run over by a bus today. If that were to happen, I would hate it if the last words my son (or parents, etc.) heard from me weren't "I love you." Sure, I suppose they could keep going on without having heard it. (Hopefully, they'd be a little shook up about my having just been run over by a bus). But, I really do mean that. I want those who matter most to me to know it and for it to be the last thing they've heard from me. Like I say, it may be superstition, but it works for me.

So, can you say "I love you" too much? I suppose, for some, you possibly could. For me, as long as you mean it, you can never say "I love you" too often.

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