words that feed us

when we talk to one another, we often talk about what happened, what we are doing, or what we plan to do. Often we say, "what's up?" and we encourage one another to share the details of our daily lives. But often we want to hear something else. We want to hear, "I've been thinking of you today," or "I missed you," or "I wish you were here," or "I really love you." It is not always easy to say these words, but such words can deepen our bonds with one another. Telling someone "I love you" in whatever way is always delivering good news. Nobody will respond by saying, "well, I knew that already, you don'thave to say it again"! Words of love and affirmation are like bread. We need them each day, over and over. They keep us alive inside.

-Henri J.M. Nouwen