The Three Words that Can Be Hardest to Say: Melanie’s Valentine’s Challenge

“I love you” seems like three simple words, but they can be the hardest to say. It can be hard to say them for many different reasons, for example it may make you feel vulnerable or you may worry how the other person will react. It’s always nice to hear someone say “I love you,” but we don’t always hear it from the people we need to hear it from the most. I used to think the lack of hearing “I love you” from someone meant they didn’t love me. I learned that people don’t always love us the way we want them to, but that doesn’t mean they don’t love us with their whole heart and the best way they know how.

One day when I was fifteen I received an e-mail from my uncle and he said to make sure we hold those we love close and let them know we love them. Those words have stayed with me ever since and I’ve challenged myself to say “I love you” to those I care about which I was too scared to say before. It was hard at first, but it’s gotten easier and learning to be comfortable telling those I care about that I love them is one of the best things I’ve done. Everyone likes knowing they’re loved and appreciated.

If you struggle telling those you care about that you love them, I challenge you to talk to a loved one in person, give them a phone call, or even write them a letter to let them know what they mean to you. It can be a daunting task, but both you and the person you talk to are likely to feel great about it afterward. I enjoy watching YouTube videos, here is a video from one of my favorite channels, SoulPancake, that documents this challenge:

No matter what you are going through in life, always remember that you are loved very much.