oh babies.

Hi.

that's always a good way to start things out.... hi.

Hi, I miss you.
Hi, I love you.
Hi, you should come over for dinner.
Hi, you're parked in my spot.
Hi, oh, no, I'm sorry officer, I didn't know that.
Hi, oh dang it, I forgot the onions and yogurt.

Wait....no one says, "Hi, I love you." They always say that as they are saying goodbye.
I wonder how many of my conversations would've gone differently if I had said, "Hi, I love you." instead of, "ok. I love you. bye." hmmmm. Maybe I'm going to start doing that. If you mean you love someone, you mean it regardless of the placement, yeah? And I guess we say it at the end to remind the person that we are talking with that we love them. But sometimes really it's a reminder for me. The 'ok, love you, bye' becomes so much of an afterthought -- kinda just thrown in there as a nice closing. But what if the conversation started with the establishment of the fact that I do indeed love you. I do indeed think that you are great. I do indeed think that you are all that and a bag of chips. I love you, I love you, and I don't care who knows.
Maybe I would listen to you better. Maybe I would open up more. Maybe something would get through this thick skull of mine.

As much as I need to be reminded that I'm loved, sometimes I need the reminder more that I love.

Because when I remember that I love you, I change. I'm different.
And it's not your job to remind me, it's my job to remember.
Maybe if I had a better memory I would never have to worry about friendships falling apart. I would never have to look at failed marriages and wonder if that could ever happen to me. I would have to apologize less, because if I just remembered that I love you, I wouldn't say so many stupid and rude things.
It is my pride that gets in the way of my memory. Because I truly do think that you are great. I think that you are spectacular. I adore you. But words that come out of my mouth and things that I do, don't really always reflect that. I lose sight of how amazing you are and I think it's more important to have my thoughts heard and my ideas followed.

I'm sorry.

hi, i love you. and i always will. i just forget sometimes.

ok, i love you, bye.