I love you

The evening relationship radio program asked its listeners to phone in and answer the question, "When is it OK to say 'I love you' for the first time?". Sitting in my car, I was about to pick up my cell and call, but a girlfriend called just as I was about to dial.

I have no recollection of every sensing any passion between my parents. No flirting or suggestive signals - instead they were properly frigid in a Catholic sort of way. My husband and I are still in love after 17 years. We seriously enjoy grossing the kids out by kissing in front of them (also a great way to teach birth control - this way they'll never want to try it themselves!).

I tried to recall at what point we said, "I love you," to each other the first time. I have a vague memory of where and when I think it happened. Yet as I pondered the question posed by the radio show host, it dawned on me that when you say it for the first time really doesn't matter at all.

I feel more joy hearing those words now, after all these years, than I did at the beginning of our relationship. When you fall in love everything's in turmoil anyway, and you say and feel a lot of different things, but honestly no one knows how things are going to turn out.

Today I KNOW that my husband loves me, so technically he doesn't have to say the actual words. But he does it anyway, and it touches my heart every time. It's like everytime he says it, he's choosing once again to express his will to stick it out with me.

At least that's how I feel about him.