The L Word

There is a whole universe of angst over the L word in relationships. Over and over, I hear the complaint "he/she won't say the L word". Frankly, I would be concerned about the opposite - I'd want proof if I heard it too much! The famous L word between dating folk is perhaps viewed in the wrong light. Some believe that if they don't hear the L word,  the special feeling isn't present. One can love without having to say it constantly. It is admittedly, a wonderful word to hear and certainly adds colour to relationships, but some fear saying it. Their fears are well founded. Sometimes, the L word has certain connotations, perhaps arising out of romance films and novels. In these vicarious relationships, the characters' datings culminate in the inevitable L word and thus confirm true and eternal love between the characters. And that's fine for movies and books, but in real life, that kind of slant makes for a problem. First of all, saying you love something or someone doesn't mean you want to sign up for life. You might love for a certain period of time but not forever. Love, after all is a vulnerable state. To be fair, this is not to say that when someone makes an L word with  a promise, it shouldn't be kept.  Any promise ought to be respected. It comes down to filtration. The receiver of the L word has to consider all the surrounding factors.  Sounds cynical but perhaps being a tad cautious, might save a lot of tears later on such as "I thought he or she loved me". Love needs proving and time is of the essence. Take it. So how do you go about determining if the L is sincere or not? Hmmm. Then again, why not just take your chances and enjoy the moment?Complicated isn't it?