Love vs. Hate

These words are probably the most misused words EVER. More so Love than Hate but I think people are also quick to use the word ‘hate’ without really meaning it. I’m not one of those people, as a matter of fact, I didn’t use either word often at all and I’m not completely sure why. I started thinking about it lately

Hate-
I’ve always heard and believed that ‘hate’ is a strong word so for the most part I use ‘dislike/don’t like/can’t stand…etc.’ I also think that a lot of people have not felt what hate really is but in order to emphasis their dislike for something they say hate…it’s just easy to use. If love is an emotion and makes us do crazy things…imagine what real hate would be like. So, yea, i just find that i don't use it very often and i like it like that.

Love-
I’m not sure why I never really [until lately] use the word. I can justify not saying ‘l love you’ to a man that I really do like because I don’t want to be vulnerable and I’m not really sure that I do indeed love him. Although how I am to know that I really do love him when I don’t even allow myself think of the word is beyond me [lol]...but i digress...I just had the hardest time saying the word. I wouldn’t tell a friend l loved them…I’d use other 'less potent' derivatives like ‘luh/luv/wub…etc’ but I never used the word ‘love.’ Even when it was said to me I’d either not respond or I’d use one of the 'less potent' words.

My family, while, we are close knit in that we are there for one another and are pretty friendly towards one another, didn’t grow up all mushy and lovey dovey. We didn’t start saying ‘I love you’ to one another, parents included until maybe 6 years ago. So growing up not hearing ‘love’ thrown about probably has something to do with why I didn’t use the word...for people. Why, however, did I have a hard time saying for example: “I love that chair” or any other inanimate object? Yes some things I didn’t mind saying…like “I love pepsi” cos I really do love pepsi but for the most part I didn’t just throw the word around.

I think the bottom line was that I used to think both words are potent and should carry some weight. I used to think [on some level] that you shouldn’t use either of those words unless you mean it...like really why be overly dramatic and say "oh i love that chair" when you can simply say "oh i really like that chair" lol. Lately, however, I have found that I have been using ‘love’ a lot more…for people and inanimate object. With people, I have friends who would tell me they love me and I guess I started to get comfortable with the word…? I don’t so much ‘question’ whether they really love me or not lol I know they like me enough and that’s fine with me…? I’m comfortable enough to say I love them too/say I love them.

Oh wait I think it started with my family. Like I said the whole ‘l love you’ between family members started like 6years ago and I’m not even sure how it started. All I know is that I would be on the phone with my mum or sisters and when they were done and about to get off the phone they’d say ‘love you’…first time it happened it was weird as hell. I went ‘err, luh you too’ LOL. Anyways its common place now and even tho’ I can say I’m completely comfy with it as it’s a little awkward sometimes. I don’t think my dad is quite comfortable with it yet…old time naija man. So, becoming comfortable enough to say i love my family members has in turn made me more comfortable with the word in general...i think.

With inanimate objects and just manner of speech--that started rather recently and I find myself saying stuff like “oh I totally love that you did that” or some other random stuff. Is this progress? Freeing myself from the fear of appearing vulnerable and flowing with what life is/has or am I on my way to becoming like masses? Throwing the word (s) around with little or no meaning?

I was talking to my sister the other day and I said ‘oh I love such and such’…it was something random but it was also for something I probably wouldn’t have used it for and I realized it felt almost liberating [lol I know, I’m dry like that].

Anyways…my rant for the day :p

*Muah*