Words, I think, are such unpredictable creatures.

Words, I think, are such unpredictable creatures. No gun, no sword, no army or king will ever be more powerful than a sentence. Swords may cut and kill, but words will stab and stay, burying themselves in our bones to become corpses we carry into the future, all the time digging and failing to rip their skeletons from our flesh.

Tahereh Mafi

Can I see you?

I love the written word and when a man writes, I listen (or read) -  especially if he is articulate.  I fell in love when a man once wrote to me, "I'm going to hit the rack".  He could have said, "I'm going to bed" but his phrase charmed me and belied his military background which excited me. TO. NO. END.  Thankfully, I found out there was more to him than a good turn of phrase. Otherwise, I would be quite unhappy now.  But sometimes less is more, in words and other things.

Recently, a young friend showed me a text she received from her new love.  "Can I see you"? is all it said. Behind four words, someone's world was holding its breath.  I couldn't think of a more romantic question.  Simple.  Direct.  "Can I see you"?

There is something respectful in the question too - the young man is giving his love interest a chance to say no.  He asked and now he has taken a step back...waiting.  He's not demanding anything of her - only asking a question...but one with a veiled and tender apprehension behind it (Will she let me?). He's not desperate exactly - but he's concerned - she may not say yes.  He knows she's busy. He knows she isn't yet his...

It's all there in four controlled words..."Can I see you"?

(She said yes).