I Love You...

       I was talking, on the phone to my parents. We were ending our conversation when my mother suddenly said, "I love you, Anita."
     Dad quickly added, "Yes, we love you."
     I was silent for a moment...what did they say? "Oh, okay, I'll talk to you soon." We hung up and I just stood there. Did they say I love you? Yes, I think they did! It was the first time I'd ever heard them say that to me! 
     Oh, I knew they loved me, but they had never told me before! 


     Even as a child I knew Mother loved me. She had a way of showing me, I guess she thought she didn't need to tell me. I'm guessing that was the way she was raised.
     She worked so hard as a young wife and mother to provide clothing and food for her family, a husband who traveled and four young children.
     Money was so scarce. She sewed pretty dresses for Lorraine and me. We'd go to the seed store and pick out the feed sacks with the prettiest patterns. She always added lace around the sleeves and collars, making our dresses so special. She loved us.
     Sometimes she was allowed to go through the missionary box of used clothing, because Daddy was an evangelist and traveled most of the time. One time she found an adult coat that still had some good wear in it. She took it all apart and made, for me, the prettiest and warmest coat I'd ever had! I loved it and can still see it today! My mother loved me.
     She raised chickens and rabbits so we'd have meat to eat. 
     There was a children's evangelist who came to town and we loved going to hear him. He told us his life story. He had been left on a door step in a basket, when he was a tiny baby! He had no idea who his real parents were. One thing he told us, children, was to always give our parents a hug at night before we went to sleep. I took him seriously and tried to always give Mother a hug every night. She hugged me back. I knew she loved me.
     
     Now, I was in my 60's, they were in their 80's, and they both said, "Anita, I love you." I thought about it all day and all night. Could I say I love you back? I love them. Why shouldn't I say, "I love you."
     I told my children, "I love you," every day as they were growing up and now when we talk on the phone we always end our conversation with I love you. Why couldn't I tell my parents? 
     A few days later we were talking on the phone again. We loved talking and sharing with each other. It was time to hang up and Mother said, "I love you, Anita." Dad added, "I love you, too."
I swallowed hard and said, "I love you, too. Both of you." 
     After that it became the thing to say. "I love you." I'm so glad we can say it now, after all these years. I don't know what happened to make them realize they needed to say it, to tell me. 
     Dad is gone to heaven now. Mother and I talk on the phone about once a week. We always end our conversations with "I love you." 
     I love you!