What Does it Mean when Someone Says I like You?

Just as you can admire a tall tree without being able to see all the complicated system of roots that lets the tree survive, you can also experience the most simple expressions of others without realizing how these are motivated by a series of complex factors that lets them thrive as a human being.

When someone looks at you and says, "I like you," for example, are they just being polite? Or, does saying I like you serve a purpose for them that dwells as deeply as the roots of a tall tree?

1. When someone says I like you, it may just be because they really do. They have a way of realizing deep in their heart that you are a good person who is worthy of friendship just like anyone is. This is probably a reason for saying I like you that is most difficult to accept because it has no motives in a world that does have motives. Pure of heart people can often be misunderstood the most.

2. When someone says I like you, they aren't really trying to fall back on a desperate naivete, some people pleasing attitude that will guarantee that you will like them back. Instead, they might be keenly aware of the factors in life that cause intense emotional hurt and are relying on the simplicity of friendship to be the saving grace for all concerned.

3. When someone says I like you, they might have developed a sense of intuition through years of experience that tells them you are a hurting person just as they are. They say I like you because they want you to know they are a harmless person. They also want to open the door for you to feel reassured.

4. When someone says I like you, they might quite simply be a lonely person and are hoping that you'll say it back.

In truth, people are many things, and the things they say can only skim the surface compared to the depth of why they say it. The roots of a tall tree go deep. The feelings of a smiling person go deep as well. This is because a smiling person has learned to tell the difference between the value of a smile and the tedious monotony of selfish and even mean-spirited behavior.

And so, the next time someone looks at you and says, "I like you," you should say, "I like you, too."

Life will be happier!