by Tiriahna

Created on: January 21, 2011

Love: [luhv], noun  a profoundly tender, passionate affection for another person.

Pro-found: [pruh-found], adjective  pervasive or intense; thorough; complete

I love you. It's really not that hard to say. In phonetics: Ahy luhv yoo. I know what you're thinking. "No! Really?"

When you get down to it, it's not so much the saying of the words that we fear, as it is the reaction we will receive. How can we make this easier to say I love you for the first time? To be honest, we can't. When it comes to relationships, there may be two sentences harder than I love you: Will you marry me? and I'm pregnant.  But those are topics for a different time.

To make saying I love you easier on yourself, be honest with yourself. Do you really love this person, or are you saying it because it's expected? It's okay to wait to say I love you. When you're ready to say it, you'll know. There will be a gut instinct, and you'll have a short amount of time in which you remember thinking "I love them" and your mouth starts moving on it's own.

It's alright to say something else first. "I'm quiet fond out you." That was the first way I told my husband I love him. To this day, we use that sentence, at times, instead of I love you. Rushing into saying these three magical words can complicate things more. Express your love in other ways before saying it.

When you decide it's time to tell your love how you feel, remember everything your mother told you about asserting yourself. Stand up straight, Look your love straight in the eye. Do not mumble. Speak clearly and loudly. While this may seem a lot to say three words, remember what can happen if you don't follow these guidelines.

Assume, for a moment, that you and your love are standing in front of your door, saying goodnight to each other. You've had a good time, and so has your date. All the sudden, your date can't look you in the eye. They start fidgeting. Maybe they run a hand through their hair, maybe they stuff their hands in their pockets and rock on their heels.  They speak quietly, mumbling a sentence that comes out so quickly that you have no idea what was said. When you don't say anything immediately, they look embarrassed and quickly change the subject, possibly trying not to cry. They leave very quickly after that and you don't hear form them again for a few days. When you finally track them down and ask them what happened, they say "Oh, nothing," and change the subject, again leaving quickly.

Granted, this is an extreme of what could happen with the wrong delivery of these three important words. Even so, remember how you would want to be told that someone cares for you deeply enough to call it love. It may take all the courage you have for the moment, but be sure to tell your new love how you feel in such a way so that there is no question as to your feelings.

Let it come naturally, but, again be sure to speak clearly, look your partner straight in the eye, and say "I love you." Eventually, three words will shorten to two, but again, "I do" is another topic entirely.

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