I was brought up to believe that showing vulnerability was a sign of weakness.
Now I understand that it takes great strength to be who we are: to speak our desires, needs, passions. To say that you love someone, when you’re not so sure that they love you back.
I don’t like the new standard goodbye in America, “Luv you.” Those words are sacred, and I don’t believe they should be said unless we mean it. And meaning it means that we back them up with deed.
How many acquaintances do that?
There’s another problem. And like usual, I’m making myself go first with the things I feel other people should do. As much as it makes me cringe, if someone says “Luv you” when we’re taking our leave, if I feel the same, I make myself reciprocate by putting an “I” in front it. To say, I love you too.
You wouldn’t think it takes guts to express the phrase fully, but it does for me.
There are Grateful Dead lyrics that speak eloquently to what I’m struggling to articulate.
You told me goodbyeHow was I to knowYou didn’t mean goodbyeYou meant please don’t let me go
Those lines are culled from High Time. Whenever I hear Jerry Garcia lend an achingly passionate voice to the song, I often wonder, “how many soul mates wouldn’t have separated, how many relationships would still be intact, or even, how many wars might not have been waged, if only we had the courage to say what’s in our heart.
Surely, being brave enough to show vulnerability when there’s that chance of rejection is the only way we’re going to solve the epidemic of loneliness that’s plaguing our country.
That’s all I got for today. Luuuuuv You!