Thursday, April 14, 2011

I think I love shoe

As I was catching up on all my blog subscriptions I noticed how often I begin each comment with "I love..." This made me question my sincerity. I mean, how many things can you actually "love." I realize that the capacity of being able to love is endless. But we can't actually love that many things, right? I love my parents. I love my friends and family. I also love reading, writing, and playing the piano. But when I go on to say I love Mt Dew and Cheez-Its and books, it just demeans the word love. It takes away the emphasis.


This makes me think, how often do people say things they don't really mean? I may say, "I love this commercial!" But is it really possible to love a commercial that I've seen maybe 5 times? I kind of feel like the statement I love is simply a go to when people don't really know what to say. So they go with I love fill in the blank to satisfy the need to give gratification. They know they want to say something, just not what. Saying it over and over again kind of makes other people wonder whether or not you really mean what you say.

It can also seem really vague at times. There's not enough information and it's usually not followed up with why they it. Just that they love it. Where do you go from there? If someone comes up to me and goes, "I love chocolate!" I'm thinking, "Okay, great you love chocolate. ..." End of conversation. But if someone says instead, "I love chocolate. The way it melts in my mouth and has that sweet, yummy goodness. But also a little bit a of bite, that you only notice when you sit there enjoying the chocolate-y goodness. I love the way it warms my stomach and leaves me feeling happy and satisfied." I can then agree with you and share why I love it. Then the conversation is going somewhere.

So I've decided that from now on I'm not going to say I love something unless I really, truly love it. Like deep down love. Like my love for Cheez-Its and Green Day. [Don't ask how it's possible to love Cheez-Its, all I know is that I do.] I believe that by no longer using I love as a go to statement I'll allow myself to be more descriptive and exact. Which is, hey!, signs of good writing. Kind of like speaking in the active voice rather than the passive. [I'm well aware that this is my weakness sometimes.]
This right here is love.
Has anyone else noticed all my references to food? I think I have a problem, I'm not even hungry right now. Except now I kind of want some chocolate. [Easter is so, so, so close! I can already smell that chocolate bunny.]

3 comments:

  1. oh good lord, that photo--that is love.
    my overused phrase in empty conversation..."i'm tired" most of the times i'm not. it's used because i can't say whatever else needs to be said.

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  2. you've just given me a writing prompt--thank you for that!!

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  3. I'm with Wily up there. I'm tired is my go to phrase.

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