First, quick shout out to all of my girlfriends who have seen me at my worst, because as each one of you knows, there have been some rough times. But, let’s be real, the second you need someone to hold your hair back, hate a guy for you, cry and pout and eat vast amounts of unhealthy food with you, I’ll be there, because that’s what girlfriends do.

People often say that our generation uses the word “love” too readily, that the word is too sacred to say to everyone, that it should be held tightly until the one person you “fall in love with” deserves for you to muster the courage to say the phrase “I love you.”

I have a different philosophy.

What’s wrong with telling people that you love them? I tell my parents that I love them, I tell my sister that I love her, and I tell almost all of my friends that I love them. Why? Because life is too short to not tell someone how you really feel about them. I love my friends. They’ve been there for me through my darkest times, dealing with my anxiety, depression, etc. with such care and kindness. How could I not love them after that?

To be morbid, we have less than 100 years on this planet, and we need to make the best of it and show the people that matter how much we love them in the limited time that we have. At the end of the day, telling someone you love him or her is a remarkable gift that we can give to anyone. Think about the last time someone told you that they loved you, appreciated you or just liked you. Isn’t it such an amazing feeling to know that someone just is happy that you exist?

I know it may sound silly, but I love telling people that I love them. It may be the most platonic love that has ever existed, but someone needs to know that I enjoy their presence, that they’re wanted and loved by even someone as unimportant as I.

If you’re having a problem with the concept of making the jump of telling someone that you love them, think about the simple question: why not?