Some of the best parties I've ever attended have been wedding parties. This month, lucky me, I was invited to not one, but two fabulous weddings.

The first, in San Francisco, was a young couple quite dear to my heart. It was a joyous affair with a radiant bride who sparkled even more than the late afternoon sun reflecting off the bay in the background. Oh and did I mention the food (or was I too busy drooling)? Local, seasonal and fabulous. But what was most notable was the love between these two people who had been high school sweethearts, realized they'd found someone great and hung on.

The other wedding took place in Denver. This was a second marriage for him, third for her, and although the love between the two was as palpable as that of the younger couple, time had given them a new perspective on what their union might mean. Their vows included such promises as "I will try to be patient . . . I will pay attention and listen to what you say . . . I will not go to bed angry . . . I will compromise . . ." It was all done in a lighthearted and loving way (and this was a more casual wedding), but I knew from the quiet laughter in the room that their words resonated with guests who were familiar with the challenges of a committed relationship.

As I was floating in this sea of loving wedding feeling, I began to notice something in my relationships with a few friends I don't see or talk to on a regular basis. I don't know how it started, but we're telling each other "I love you" before we hang up the phone, or end the email. No big deal maybe, and certainly the word love has been kicked around like a soccer ball, but it touches my heart. I think it's the first-person pronoun at the beginning. More than just signing "love," I am owning and acknowledging how much I appreciate that person.

If you ask most of us about the things that are most important in life, isn't this what we all want - to make a difference? We should let the people we love know that they do.