The "L" word - and health. Prove it!

When I was growing up, my Dad would ask us "Have I told you I love you today?" or "Have I told you how much I love you lately?"  Sometimes remember being annoyed by this as a child, because he told us he loved us a lot.  I just didn't get what the big deal was all about!  But sometimes he wouldn't say it as often, and I'd wonder, and then he'd ask those questions and I'd be reassured.  His point was simple: don't assume people know you love them.  Tell them!

Now that I am an adult and a mother, I find those things my Dad said often to be exactly one of the things I want my children to know, and one of the things I still find important in my relationships with others.

My goal is to tell them EVERY DAY that I love them, how special and wonderful they are, how proud of them I am, and how much I love them.  Often I get eye rolling from one or both of them, telling me "I know!  You tell me all the time!"

Today I got a text from my daughter, who is away on vacation.  She texts me:

"I love you mom so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so much"

I write back with:

"That still isn't even CLOSE to how much I love you and your brother.  Not in a million years sweetheart!"

She writes me back.

"ok mom prove it."

PROVE IT!  I am several hours away from her right now, and she wants me to prove how much I love her?  This from the same little girl who eye rolls me for reminding her of my love for her because she already knows?  Ok.  I'll prove it.  I wrote:

"I prove it every day my love.  When I feed you good food and water, hug and kiss you, tell you how special you are, and help you when you are afraid.  I blow you kisses even when you are not here!  And I ALWAYS think about you.  I would even die to save you.  There is NOTHING in the world that could EVER make me stop loving you two."

After my conversation today with my daughter, I felt uplifted and relaxed and happy.  So did she.  I could hear it in her voice when she called to talk.

How does this even remotely relate to health?  Check out this article, suggesting that Love counters stress and promotes health!  LOVE is important in relationships.  UGH I said the L word and relationships in the same sentence... how dare I!  I'll tell you how.  Everyone, whether they tell you or not, needs love.  They need to give it AND they need to receive it. 

Don't make that vital mistake of assuming people know you love them - like your children, your partner, your siblings, or your friends.  You know what they say about assumption, right?  They say a lot - and none of it is great.

My health tip for today is simple... make sure the people you love... know it.