Day 23 NaPoWriMo – “I Love You”

This is dedicated to Doug.
 You’re right. Words have power.
Once spoken they resonate forever.
No matter what the future brings, you will always be a part of me. 

 I Love You

“I love you.”

The words are difficult to speak at first.
Three small words.

The meaning varies so much
from person to person,
from situation to situation.

“I love you.”

The words rarely mean the same thing to one
as they do to another.
They change, forever, the temper of a relationship.

They bare my soul and give you power….
power to accept or to refuse,
power to bring great joy, or great pain.

They present my open heart to you,
show my trust and faith in the possible,
ask for the possibility of trust and faith in return.

They offer my willingness to share intimacy,
physical, spiritual, and mental;
my innermost thoughts and beliefs,
desires, pains, memories, joys and triumphs.

They speak of my loneliness,
my selfish need to feel cherished,
my need to be allowed to protect and hold sacred
the heart I see in you.

They beg the questions:

“May I share your dreams?”
“Would you consider building a future with me?”
“Is there an empty place in your life and heart
that has been waiting for my life and heart,
as mine waits for yours?”

With these three small words
come small sharp shards of fear….
fear of rejection,
fear of disinterest,
fear that a heart that has never had love returned,
a heart so deprived,
may never trust,
never accept,
never open.

Still, I take this step forward to you.

I reveal my soul, my heart.
I oil the rusted bars and throw open the fortress door.
I give you the key with these three words:

“I love you.”