I Love You, Man

  .  I was finishing up a quick conversation with a friend of mine the other day when he said something that caught me by surprise.  I have known this friend for several years, we have worked together, mostly have quick meaningless conversations, but occasionally have deeper talks.  This time we had a work related conversation, but had finished and were joking around with each other.  We had been picking at each other for a few minutes, and were about to go our separate ways when he simply said, "you know I love you man."

     This caught me off guard.  I gave him a quick laugh, and we went about our business.  I couldn't stop thinking about it though.  It wasn't something that made me uncomfortable, because I knew what he was trying to say.  It did bring up a lot of thoughts and questions in my mind.  Why is it so hard to say "I love you", and what is it that makes us love each other? 
     We all know about love for our families.  That is a given, but what about others in our lives.  For me, the answer was surprising.  The more I thought about the people in my life, my family, my friends, the more I realized that I had done a very bad job of telling most of them just how I felt.  There are a multitude of people in my life that I have a genuine love for, people that I look forward to seeing, people that I admire.  Very, very few of them have I ever told just how special they are to me. That's sad.
     I wish I could say that I was going to change all of that, and that I was going to let each and every person that is special in my life know just how I feel, but I know better.  That's not how life works.  Most people would not be comfortable hearing those words, and there is always the chance that I have a much higher opinion of them than they do of me.  I'm not willing to take those kinds of chances.  Besides, I am a guy, and we just don't do those things.
    I guess in the end that is why what my friend said threw me off for a moment.  It's a guy thing.  Other than times of great joy or sorrow, we normally don't express ourselves like that.  Maybe that is why what my friend said the other day meant so much to me.  It wasn't something he thought about, it was just something that came out.  That is the best sentiment, when it comes from the heart.