I just called to say I love you

There is a friend of mine with whom when I hang up the phone, I always say, "I love you," and she says the same back to me, but I  have sometimes heard a little bit of laughter in her voice.  Not in a making fun of me way, but maybe a she gets a kick out of me kind of way?  Either way, I'm not offended, but it made me really think about why it is I do this.  Intentionally.  Every time.  It would bother me if I didn't say it when I really felt I want to say it!

I don't go around telling everybody I love them because I actually don't love them and they don't love me either and so what!  In fact, I prefer to be either with Storm or home alone and I have to force myself to do things that involve other human beings whose DNA  is not in some way halvsies with mine or vice versa.  Windy, you could have just said your parents and your offspring.  I could have, but it's not nearly as fun.  What about your siblings?  You do know if my siblings had the same DNA as me, we'd be identical twins or triplets, etc., right?  Check this chick out here:

Shouldn’t my sister and I have the same ancestry results for our DNA? We have the same parents.- A curious adult from California    https://genetics.thetech.org/ask-a-geneticist/same-parents-different-ancestry

Yikes, a clueless adult from California, although she was smart enough not to use her real name.  Maybe she would make a good blogger?  After all, she'd be writing about the meaning behind TTWD and not the letters DNA.  (The article referenced above is actually a really good one that explains the basics of how siblings can have differently ancestry.....  it made sense to even a non-science person like me.)

When I am shopping, the friendly folks seem to find me easily even though I am not all that interested in being seen or found.  I was in an aisle at a craft store (for supplies a family member needed, not me as I'm not crafty!) when this teenage boy a few aisles over was saying loudly to everyone in his path,  I love you!  I love you!  As his voice got closer aisle by aisle, I could hear that he was mentally challenged and so I knew I would soon be the lucky recipient of his indiscriminate benevolence.  Sure enough as he came into my view he shouted, I love you!  And I told him right back, I love you, too, because what is not to love and appreciate about that boy!?

Okay, so I don't haphazardly tell others that I love them when I don't.  I have to be in possession of a very strong emotional connection with someone to say it.  Remember, I'm a jock.... a tough one... who fishes..... grrr.....!!

However, from the time that I can remember, I drove both of my parents crazy with telling them I love you before I went to bed every night.  If I got up for a drink of water or to use the bathroom, I'd tell them again, I love you!   I don't know why I did it....... except for the fact that I did indeed love them.  I think part of it was that my anxiety seemed to kick in when I was alone in my dark room and I was looking for a verbal reassurance in their return I love you that would keep me comfortable through the night.  My father worked different shifts that sometimes meant he was not at home all night with us and so I think I was trying to offer my mom reassurance as well.  Although she most likely wanted me to shut the heck up and go to sleep already!  And maybe part of it was that I thought something was going to eat me one of these nights and so I'd better tell my parents that I love them just so they would never forget.

So when I speak on the phone with someone I care about deeply, whether it is a close family member, or a dear friend, I am not afraid that someone is going to eat me that day except for maybe Big Foot while I am fishing when Storm has his back turned because he's going to the bathroom in the bushes or he is distracted by whatever is in his snack bag.  But, I still want to say I love you because I truly do.