An Open Letter to the People who Overuse the words I Love You

Dear People Who Overuse the Words I Love You,

Just stop it already, okay. It’s trite and insincere. People are pretty perceptive. We know when we are loved. When it is true, it is nice to hear and only has to be said sparingly because your actions speak so much louder than your words.

But when it is not true is when you feel the need to say it the most.

Every phone call and email does not have to end with you telling me, “I love you.”

If you love me I know it. I feel it. You’ve shown me. If you don’t love me I know it. I feel it. You’ve shown me that too. You, casually tossing the words about like a Frisbee only points to the camouflage of your insincerity. Just stop it, okay. You are not fooling anybody.

Author, Maya Angelo says, “When people tell you who they are, the first time, believe them.”

Love is considerate. Love will be inconvenienced. Love can show me much better than it can tell me.

When I tell a funny joke, you don’t have to end your laughter with a, “Girl, I love you!” Just say, “Girl you make me laugh.” When I give you a gift you really like because I’ve listened to you when you talk and I’ve heard you mention how much you’d like to have a so and so or a such and such, don’t say, “Oh, I love you.” Because that’s not love, you idiot – That’s just you getting something you’ve wanted. It’s acceptable even preferred to just say, “Thank you. I really wanted one of these.”

Love is what it is. You can’t buy it or make it out to be or out of something that it is not. I love you are valuable words I try not to throw around lightly.

Frankly, I don’t love a lot of people. There are a lot of people I enjoy. There are a lot of people I find entertaining. And there are even more people I don’t mind. But there are not a lot of people I love. If you have to wonder where you fall on this scale chances are I don’t love you either.

The people I love know it. I’ve shown them in ways that supersede the three little words. And chances are it is reciprocal – I love them and I know they love me, regardless of how often or how seldom we find ourselves saying it back and forth.

So here are 10 suggestions for honest parting salutations to use instead of the overused I love you:

1. Take care.
2. See you next time.
3. Nice talking to you.
4. Good to see you.
5. Say hello to your family.
6. Drop dead you ass#ole.
7. You know I never liked you.
8. You need a breath mint.
9. Why do you only call me when you want something?
10.  Bye.

Most sincerely yours,

Rougebuddha