6,316 people die each hour. When you add it all up, that equals about 151,600 people dying every day which then equals 55.3 million deaths per year.
You might be wondering why this article is talking about death when the title is all about love. Stay with me, and I hope you'll see why saying, "I love you," is so important.
The reason I told you how many people die each year was to hopefully bring to your attention the fact at any moment and second of each day, either ourselves, or someone we love in our lives can be given their final breath. None of us are immortal, none of us are invincible, but we are all humans capable of loving each other until our final breath.
This October, as I was headed to my little brother's soccer game, I was merging onto the highway when my tires began to spin out. I wrestled with the wheel trying to gain back control. I didn't know if I should pump the brakes or push the gas. I didn't know if I should steer left or steer right. I didn't know if the oncoming cars going 55 miles an hour would slam into me, I didn't know if once I hit the cement barrier between the highway and the steep drop off that met a wide river would hold up once the car slammed into it. I didn't know what was about to happen, but what I did know was I wished I had said "I love you" to my dad as I said goodbye to him in the driveway. I knew I wished I had said "I love you" to my mom earlier that day. I knew I should have said "I love you" to my boyfriend one more time.
I love you, I love you, I love you. That was all I wanted to say as I was spinning on the black highway toward a barrier that waited to embrace me.
Finally, I stopped. I had hit the barrier and the back end of my car swung around behind. I was stopped on the side of the highway facing traffic as the cars slowed at first, then continued to pass. I was okay. I was alive.
From this moment last month, I have thought a lot about what can happen at any moment of our lives. I have also thought a lot about how I can make the most out of each of those moments.
I decided to, every day, make it a point to say I love you. Whether that be at the end of a phone call, saying goodbye on my way out of the door or just a random text in the middle of the day. Saying I love you for no reason at all besides the fact that I am so grateful to still be here and to still have all of the wonderful people in my life.
I challenge you, to in one way or another, say I love you more often. Say I love you when your dad helps you get something down from a high spot. Say I love you when your mom finds time in her busy schedule to follow through on holiday traditions, say I love you to your angsty little brother because he helped you move that one heavy thing. Just say I love you for no reason at all!
What's so bad about saying "I love you" anyway? Worst case scenario, they now know you love them. But look what you just did! You made someone feel loved.
15,000 babies are born each hour which adds up to 360,000 births per day. All of this over an entire year equals 131.4 million births each year.
If you start saying I love you more often, think of how many more people will want to say "I love you" to the next person, and the next person.
With so many babies coming into this world, create a world they will feel loved in.
