This weekend was amazing. I had a 2 day assembly and the information was so encouraging. I wish I could have taken better notes, but my hand is getting rediculous these days. I can still type fine, but writing is starting to hurt more (did I update about that at all? My hand being all weird and spastic? I sleep on it funny one night and now the thumb on my right hand won't completely extend, and the middle thumb joint aches when I bend it. I've been seeing the chiro, but it might be time to seek further treatment. It's been hurting for like a month now. Totally sucked for the essay I had to write on my midterm on Tuesday. It looks like a 3rd grader wrote it. If it doesn't start to get better soon, maybe I'll start practicing writing with my left hand. Jeeze. I sound like a wussy. Wah-wah. My thumb hurts. Boohoo.)

Anyway, it was a fabulous weekend, and gave me a lot to think about.

Right now, I'm updating my private flickr account with some Post Secrets picks I hadn't posted or commented on yet. I don't have ones from today up yet. But, as I was updating, this one from a while ago struck me.

It's not that I don't have words. I do. But I say it indirectly. I'll cook for you. Or send you a silly card. Or I crash on your couch. Or I butt into your business. Or text you a picture of my goofy face or a retarded message because I'm happy at the moment and you're the person I want to share happy with.

Apparently all these things are easier than saying "You are important to me. I love you so much." And even when I do manage to squeeze "I love you" out, it because "love ya!" or is said is a silly voice.

I got into the habit for a while of saying "love you" at the end of conversations with some of my friends. It was nice. I mean, really really nice. And then I forget once, and all of a sudden it's weird to say it again. But it shouldn't be.

I mean, yeah, not every situation requires getting sappy. But I don't know that we should wait until sappy moments are required to tell people how we feel. Directly.

I had some friends go down and help with the Katrina effort, rebuilding homes. They got back a couple weeks ago, and all they've talked about is how close people are there. I mean, yes, part of that is from necessity. Basically, people are all that was left, and sometimes not even that. But to have that kind of interconnection must be amazing. I think I come close to that with my dearest friends, I truely treasure them, and I'm pretty sure they feel the same.

So don't be surprised if you start getting "love ya!" tacked onto "bye!" when we talk. I don't know why this should take such effort. The feeling of it is so easy. Why does it make me so vulnerable and invasive to just voice the feeling?

Maybe it's cultural. Maybe it's just me. Your thoughts?