Saying "I Love You"

This is a speech I had to write and record for my public speaking class. I had to write about a major epiphany that I have had in my life. It had to be no shorter than a minute and a half. I decided to write it about the first time I told Violet I loved her. I would never start a speech with a stupid rhetorical question, but it was on the rubric. Please don’t think I’m that cheesy. Also, I hate having to write within a time constraint. Three minute max? Fuck you! Here you go! 

Hello! My name is William “Max” Jones.

Have you ever looked someone in the eyes, told them you loved them, and realized it was the first time you truly meant it? When I started dating my girlfriend, Violet, I wasn’t quite sure how long it was going to last. Not because we weren’t happy or compatible, but because I was leaving for college at the end of the semester. It was a huge unknown, and we didn’t know how things were going to go. I tried to put my departure in the back of my head and focus on having the best time we could possibly have together before we had to make a tough decision. Throughout the first couple of months of hanging out, I grew quite attached. I liked everything about her—her laugh, her smile, the way she talked, how she had great aspirations for her life—among many other amazing qualities that had me hooked. For a while, I loved to stay in the comfort of my own room with her and not go out. We’d watch movies, TV shows, and just talk the day away. Or I guess, I talked the day away, and she listened. On April 22, 2023, Violet told me that she would like to go out and do things more. Ignorantly, I replied, “Then what do you want to do?” She said, “I don’t know, why don’t we just go on a walk?” I agreed with her—we probably should go out more. We went downstairs just to find out that it was raining. At that point, I didn’t care. I wanted to make her happy and to go on a walk. I put on a pair of boots and my dad’s twenty-year-old red North Face rain jacket. I then stole my sister’s rain boots and my mom’s old red rain jacket that matched my dad’s and gave it to Violet. When we left my house, it was downpouring, and it never really let up. We walked about twenty minutes to a resort that sits on our hometown’s lake. They have a nice dock to sit on and look out at the water and the rolling hills. It’s beautiful no matter the time of day or the weather—rain, snow, sun, anything. It’s one of my favorite places in the world. We sat on the lifeguard’s chair and continued our conversation. The rain was running down her face, and I was trying to be her personal windshield wipers. Her perfect baby-blue eyes were glistening, she was smiling ear to ear, and she looked so gorgeous. At that moment, I had one of the most important epiphanies of my life—I was completely in love with her, and I had to tell her. I wasn’t quite sure. Any other time I had told a girl I loved her, I was a prepubescent loser who thought loving someone was the same as loving Fortnite. I didn’t know what it actually meant. I was so nervous, and my heart was pounding. I said, “Violet, I need to tell you something.” At this point, I didn’t know if I was actually going to follow through. I was freaking out, so I just kind of mumbled it out. She said, “What did you just say?” I repeated myself, but a bit clearer—“I think I am falling in love with you.” I knew I meant it. It was a feeling I had never had before. She told me she loved me too. We hugged, kissed, and I danced in the rain. Both of our boots didn’t fit properly, so we took them off and walked back to my house barefoot. My feet hurt like hell, but I was in love, so who cares? That moment taught me a lot about communication, but I know I still have room to grow. First, I want to work on expressing myself more clearly in emotional situations. I tend to hold back, worried about saying the wrong thing. I take so long to say the right thing that it somehow becomes the wrong thing in a way. Second, I need to improve my confidence in speaking up, especially when something matters to me. I’m usually very vocal about my thoughts and feelings—except in serious situations. And third, I want to be a better listener—not just hearing words but really understanding what people mean. Thank you so much for listening!