I appreciate You
I think the words, “I appreciate you”, are more powerful than, “I love you”, sometimes. Telling someone you love them can express your feelings of affection but telling them you appreciate them shows more depth of the love you feel. We should tell the people we love that we appreciate them, as well. Unfortunately, sometimes we don't see the things they do for us that deserve appreciation. And, if we do, sometimes we take these things and the people who do them for us, for granted. Why do we take one another for granted? Why can’t we see the importance of the simple things that we do for one another, and appreciate them for what they are, while we have them?
I appreciated him. I appreciated both his grand gestures and the simplest of things he did for me. Simple things like; him helping me bring in firewood or insisting on drying dishes when I washed up. I loved his concept of teamwork; being as simple and as easy as doing dishes together, and enjoying the menial tasks together so we could enjoy the more exciting ones together; sooner and more passionately. We appreciated one another more, for doing the simple and mundane things together. And, by appreciating one another, we deepened our mutual affection toward one another.
Too often, we take for granted the things that are presented to us and sometimes, don't even see them right in front of our eyes. Like me, with Prescott Harbour; how I had never seen the beauty that existed there until I went with him, and had seen it through his eyes. Even though, I am most often, the type of person who takes the time to see the beauty around me, even in the smallest of things, and most unsuspecting places. And yet, I hadn't seen that until then. So much the same with so many people; that we don't see or recognize what's right in front of us and the beauty within the things we have but take for granted while we have them.
He was gone now. Uncertain when he would return to me, or I, to him. I would never again, take, passionate and authentic affection for granted. I would never take him for granted. I would tell him how much I appreciated him, were I to have the opportunity to have him back, with me. Even before he returned, I would let him know what he meant to me. What how he treated me meant to me, and how much I appreciated all of what he did; even the most silly and whimsical of things he did. Even when he tried his best to antagonise me, in jest or as a defence-mechanism.
With this in mind, I compiled a list of things that I would do for and with whateve partner I ended up with; if I ever did. This list, something I thought others might also, benefit from; both doing and having done for them.
What I would do with and for you everyday if you were here:
Tell you I love you every day. Tell you I appreciate you every time it was warranted, or when you needed to hear it. Say only positive things that built you up instead of tearing you down or being judgmental of you. Show you what you mean to me with simple gestures of kindness and compassion. Go out of my way to do good things for you. Compliment you, not compete with you. Complement, not complete you. Allow you space and freedom to be who you are. Show you the intimacy I feel with you and always connect with you. Be your best friend. Laugh with you. Hold your hand often. Kiss you every day. Listen when you need to share, and leave you to your thoughts when you need to be alone. Let you sleep in. Stay up all night with you. Wake up early with you. Listen to your stories. Laugh at your jokes. Be honest with you. Be your lover, your friend and companion and your number one fan, and cheerleader. Show you respect and love and most importantly, appreciation.
As I said, I think the words, “I appreciate you”, are more powerful than, “I love you”, sometimes. I thought I loved him, I thought I wanted him and I saw the potential for a life with him, in which I would never take him, or what we had in our lives for granted. Where, I would never take us for granted, were we to have what I thought I wanted to have with him. I had suffered enormous losses, had been left alone, learned to be happy alone, learned to love myself and appreciate the things that brought joy, happiness and beauty to my life and learned not to take these things for granted. I appreciated him for having brought all of these things to my life, again; even if it were just to show me that I wanted these things again. Some, for the first time in my life. Were I to get the chance, I would both show and tell whomever I did end up with, daily how grateful I was to have him in my life and that I appreciated him in this way.