He said I love you over a text message

There is nothing more romantic than having your boyfriend for the first time express his undying love for you...unless it's over a text message. Granted you’ve spent a good deal of time conversing over text messages, but do you really want to hear for the first time that your boyfriend loves you over a text? Well what's done is done, and it's time to confront your smartphone like a big girl. Digital love is a scary thing, so to help are simple guidelines in how to handle a love message over a text.

First things first, don't ignore it. When you think you can pretend it never happened, guess what? He's going to text you again, and again, and again, until you return the loving gesture. Unless you're a tween, you might not be squealing in delight and eagerly typing your heart away at first glance. You thought you had a close bond with your boyfriend so it might be a bit irritating that he could express something so intimate in such an impersonal way. Does he usually shy away from his feelings? He may be too timid to tell you in person, or he may not know if his love is reciprocated. Therefore, by text messaging he can shield himself in case of rejection. Whatever the reason may be, acknowledging it sooner rather than later will avoid any awkwardness the next time he meets you at your locker.

Second, take a minute to evaluate how you feel. What was your initial reaction to the text? Angry? Warm and fuzzy? Confused? Think about it, is it the text that makes you feel that way, or the actual message? Deciphering the two emotions will help put a delicate finger on the situation. The thing is, you might not have experienced love and you’re not sure how you feel, which is perfectly alright. People have different perspectives of love, so don't feel silly if you want to say it back. Just don't say it in return because that's what everyone else thinks you should do.

Lastly, it's time to take action. Try not to take more than a day to respond, but don’t feel guilty for making him sweat it out (he did just tell you he loved you over a text message). So after an emotional evaluation, you might conclude you do love him but would rather he tell you that to your face. Text him with a message that you think he’s sweet, but it would mean more if he could say it in person. You can brush aside your annoyance and be excited about the anticipation, which might be just as memorable as your first kiss.

If you’re not comfortable in returning the love (you're not sure or don’t share the same feelings), then respond in a way that at least lets him know you appreciate the kind words. Trust me, he’ll get the hint. Also, refrain from throwing the word ‘love’ in your text as a clever disguise (e.g. I 'love' hanging out with you), since he’ll only take that as a cue to say it even more.

Now if you're not feeling him at all, or worse you cringed when you saw the text he sent within the first weeks of dating, then maybe it's time to cut the boy loose. You’re not helping anybody by hanging on to him or giving false hope, so in that situation you should be thankful he told you he loved you over a text message.

Text message or not, you want the first time your boyfriend tells you he loves you to be memorable. In this case, mission accomplished!