They say you shouldn't use the word 'hate' when referring to anyone at all. It's a strong word. I agree.
Hate basically says you can't forgive someone because you loathe the very fibers of their being, and there is nothing that can change your mind. In your eyes, there is nothing good about them. I admit I certainly don't hate anyone. 'Strongly dislike' comes to mind for a few people, but I couldn't possibly have enough spite toward someone to wish them eternal damnation.
But if we're so careful about using the word 'hate', why do we toss the word 'love' around so much?
- "Oooh, I love this top."
- "I love my new phone!"
- "I love smoothies."
The word 'love' is the exact opposite of hate. Love is the feeling you get in your heart when you can't live without someone, and you want to be around them all the time, and you feel like if anything, you'd spend eternity with them.
Why do we say we 'love' a shirt? What about that shirt makes your heart feel warm? Sure, you can like it, you can enjoy wearing it, you can feel good in it...but there's no love to be shared with fabric.
Why do we 'love' a phone? Shouldn't we be spending our love on people, not material possessions?
There's enough 'I hate this' in this world already. If I'm going to say 'I love this', I want to say it about things that deserve love. Like the beauty of creation, a newborn baby, my mother, a person I want to reach out to, etc.
Possessions don't deserve my love any more than people deserve my hate. The next time you say you "love" something, take a moment.
Do you think about how you use the word 'love'?
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@rachelserine@xanga - :P