"Text me when you're home so I know you're safe"
"have you eaten yet?"
"I brought food"
"just wanted to say hi"
etc...
but I think the best way to say it
is to not say it at all.
Say it in the way you watch them;
watch them get to the door so you know they got in safely, watch them walking towards you,
watch them sleeping if you fall asleep last or wake up first.
Say it in the way you touch them;
softly and playfully
and all the time.
Say it by listening to what they have to say,
their stories, their dreams, their fears.
Say it by caring how their day was.
Say it by doing the dishes without being asked if they cooked.
Say it by holding them silently when they are sad,
or you simply had a peaceful moment.
Say it by pushing them with your feet them until a soft crinkle forms between their brows,
and they start to push back,
and then tackle them.
Say it by not interrupting them when they're reading a book they've been going on about.
Say it by knowing their favorite song
Say it by trusting them
Say it by running your fingers through their hair,
and feeling the strands slip through the gaps as you graze the gentle curve of their skull,
using your nerve endings to soak up the
magic of their existence.
