Saying 'I Love You' Shouldn't Wait For 'One' Day

Valentine's Day is Tuesday, February 14, and it, like many holidays, can be a little rough for some people.

And like many holidays, it has become a "commercialized" celebration of something that should come naturally. In this case, it is love. And as someone said to me last week, "if you care about someone, you should show them every day."

I couldn't agree more! No one should be waiting for a specific day to tell someone in their life that they care about them. They shouldn't be waiting for that one certain day to say "I love you" or "you mean a lot to me."

Don't get me wrong, Valentine's Day is great to do something "extra" special on for those special people in your life. However, if you are waiting for one special day, it may be too late to let someone know.

We are all so very "busy" in today's world that I fear complacency sets in - hard. And then, when we lose someone who meant everything to us, they are gone and with them is gone that window of opportunity to tell them and show them what they mean to us.

All too often, you hear people saying someone has died and they "wish they would have done or said this" and they "wish they would have done or said that".  It's called regret and it can be very painful to live with.

Don't be one of those who sits back on your laurels waiting for that special day or occasion, the right moment, to speak up. The right moment is this moment, now, today.

And it shouldn't just be that way with your feelings. If you are putting off going on that trip, having that experience, seeing those sights - stop.

Where there is a will, there is a way.

Make those plans, say those words - act now. Time is a luxury none of us can control. We don't know how much of it we each have. And it isn't the same for any of us. It is individual to each one of us and time can be gone while we are busy with the many distractions in our world.

Before you know it, your spouse or significant other could be gone - no warning, no time to prepare - just gone. Your children, parents, grandparents, siblings and other family - the clock ticks and then? Gone.

We each have an hour glass with an expiration we can't see. An end to the last grain of sand as it drops to the bottom of the hour glass and our world is done as we know it.

Does that friend who is always there for you know how you feel? There is no time warning label for them either.

Hesitating with our emotions is not a safe practice - the odds are against us.

There is a saying that "time has a wonderful way of showing us what really matters." The other part of that is that it also has a heartbreaking way of showing us what really matters."

When my father passed away, the thoughts going through my mind were "I wish I had more time with him. I wish I had told him more how much he meant to me. I wish I could make more memories."

Then, about three years ago, I lost my husband. And here came the regrets again. "I wish I had more time with him. I wish I had told him more how much I loved him. I wish we had been able to travel together."

I've lost countless other family members and friends who I have gone through this dilemma with. And who knows, even if I had spent more time, etc. - would it ever be enough or would I always wish for more?

I don't know the answer to that yet. But, I do know I will move forward making sure those in my life know how I feel about them. They will know I loved them. They will know how much they  mean to me.

It is true that "no matter how 'busy' a person is, if they really care, they will always find the time for you."

And it's not that I believe someone doesn't always care. I think we tell ourselves we can "do that tomorrow" - honestly believing we have the "time". We are busy people. But we shouldn't be so busy making a living or doing other things that we don't end up having a life.

The right time. The right place. The right moment - is now, not tomorrow. Not next week. Not even next month or year. NOW!