Often as the bride and groom are about to say their vows, the swell of emotion takes their breath away. They are about to declare their love, such an intimate gift, publicly for all to hear. Tears usually follow. Everyone says, ‘I will be fine.’ Yet even the most stoic of couples falter. I refer to it as wedding hay fever; eyes spilling over with tears. I always have a little pack of tissues on hand, just in case. Offering a tissue, breaks the tension in the moment and laughter replaces the tears.
Recently on the way home from a beautiful ceremony, my husband and I were discussing how difficult it must be for couples to write their own vows. Being married so long ago we were not given that option. But how do you encapsulate all you want to say about the person stood in front of you.
What does ‘I Love You’ actually mean? Here are some thoughts.
I love you, is a promise to continue to honour and cherish the other from that day forward.
I love you, means to work alongside each other, through the ordinary, the mundane.
I love you, is comfort when needed.
I love you, is support during times of grief and times of joy.
I love you, provides the strength needed to get through the day.
I love you, is tenderness unspoken, the touch of a hand, a private smile.
I love you is far more than words. It is in the everyday.
I love you, is realising together you are whole.
Life would hold little meaning without the other.
In our lives we love many people in different ways; our family, our friends. We hug them. We kiss them. We hold them close. We reassure them and support them. We enjoy them and the privileges they bring. Our love for our partner is far more; it’s a lifetime of emotions, of memories and of gratitude. All wrapped up in three little words.