From This American Life, the insanity of a couple happily together for eight years having never said “I love you” and never spoken about its absence.
For the record – and I wonder if my wife remembers this – she said “I love you” first, on a couch in my old apartment, while we were kissing, on our second date. And less than 24 hours after our first date.
Granted, we had worked together for two years and been close friends for about a year before we started dating, but still, the second date was a bold move on her part.
The right move, too. I told her that I loved her, too, and we have said it to each other every since since then, for the past twelve years.