Assuming They Already Know They Matter to You

You feel it clearly — how much this person means to you, how different your life would be without them. It seems so obvious that surely they already know. But feelings that stay inside your head do not transmit by osmosis, no matter how strong they are. People generally assume they are replaceable until told otherwise, explicitly and often.

Silence reads as neutrality, even when what you feel is love. Do not wait for a milestone birthday or a funeral to say what is true right now. The cost of saying it too early is awkwardness; the cost of saying it too late is permanent.