Friday, September 3, 2010

Dove Chocolate Challenge Day # 4 "Say "I love you" every day to your loved ones." - Donna / Grand Junction, CO



Mike & Ikes!

I heart thee!

Say "I love you" every day to your loved ones - Donna / Grant Junction, CO

Unfortunately, I haven't said I love you that much today. I was so busy, that it slipped my mind. Work was interesting. The only person I said I love you to was my husband. And even he didn't hear it when I said it, cause I said it right in the middle of a conversation. Then later on when we were arriving at Mark's house to hang out (where I'm currently sitting and blogging) Brian asked me what my challenge of the day was, and I told him about it. And his reply was "Hey! You didn't tell me that today!" And I looked at him like, "Oh yes I did." And so then we argued about it playfully. Then he said, "well yeah, but I didn't hear you, and you shouldn't say it in a middle of conversation, but you should instigate saying I love you more." I was like, "I do say I love you." ...But it's true, he is the more of the instigator of  saying "I love you" in our relationship. And it just made me think about how I was brought up. I grew up in a house hold where we didn't say "I love you" much. We actually never said it at all. Instead we were taught to love others by showing it, such as acts of service; making dinner, washing the dishes, feeding the animals (had an acre back yard, more bunnies than you can count, chickens, geese, dogs, cats, doves, pigeons, ducks, and a bull named Boris). I remember one day when I was going through some super huge teenage drama, I was super upset and my friend Luba was over our house. I really got in a huge fight (argument) with my dad. And Luba was the middle man. (Bless her heart). She understood both sides of the story, both point of views. And I rememmber asking my dad why he never said I love you, and I just wanted to hear those words from his mouth. And I recall him saying, "I don't need to tell you I love you, I show it in my actions everyday, I come home everyday, I provide for the family, I take you to figures skating lessons, and karate lessons, I pay for them. We don't need to say I love you, we show each other our love." Luba really encouraged my dad to verbally express his love towards me, and those words were so hard for him to say. I was hysterical, and I just wanted to hear those words. I wasn't going to give up until I heard them. And finally, he said them. And it was awkward, but it was heart felt, and it was break through. (And I cried like a baby) And now around 6 years down the road...when my dad calls me up or I call him up, the conversation usually consists of (dad's words will be in paranthesis) "How are you?"  I'm good.  "Good." .."How's your health?" Good. "Good."  .."How's the weather?" Hmm...a little chilly (It's Alaska!) How's it like over there? "It's really hot, it was 105 degrees out today."  Yeah, it's around 55 degrees today over here." (Rainy Summer days in Alaska). How's mom? "Good." How are you? "I'm good. Ok, well, I'll talk to you later. I LOVE YOU."  I love you too! "Okay. Well, tell Mr. Brian I said hello." Ok. Bye Papa! "Okay, talk to you later." Click. That's about 2 minutes of coversation right there. The only time it lasts longer than that is when I'm having car trouble (dads a mechanic, and a very good one at that). But yeah, short conversations, it's probably just a guy thing. Short and sweet to the point. Try talking to your girlfriends like that  for 2 minutes and that will mean that there's trouble in your relationship or that you're trying to ditch them.

So yeah, I didn't think I would have much to write today, I wasn't planning on writing much at all. But somehow I rememberd all of this and it just spilled out onto the blog. I can honestly say that it is still hard to say "I love you," for me. But I try. And I plan on trying harder. Because I truly do want those who are dear to me to know that they are loved by me, both verbally and in acts of service. Even though I wasn't raised to say those 3 words out loud to others around me (the Russian culture is like that...you will rarely ever hear Russian say "I love you" to each other, it's a cultural things. Serving each other is a big deal) ...infact, I've never heard ANY of my Russian relatives express love verbally to each other. So yeah, even though I wasn't raised to say those 3 words, I will make it a point and a priority to tell those I love, that I love them. And I don't wanna be so busy that I forget to tell them those words and let life just pass me by.

And that, ladies and gents, is my challenge of the day, as well as the rest of my life.

Happy Friday!

With Love,

-Fellow Chocolatier.




And just to throw one more out there for all ya'll  hahahaha ;)


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