attraction and appreciation

i haven't quite figured out how to tell

the difference between

attraction and appreciation.

love

is a word that i throw around too easily,

towards dogs and cats and brothers and cousins

and home cooked meals and leather jackets.

are you

a leather jacket?

is that the best comparison i can make?

are you reduced in my mind to an article of clothing,

just because i cannot comprehend

love?

can i love all of these things and still love you?

should i love you differently, or the same?

should i love you

more?

what am i supposed to give you

as a token of my fondness?

do i owe you everything?

anything at all?

is love an obligation

that stretches and fades with time,

warping with the ages

until it becomes unrecognizable?

or is it

a blessing wrapped in eternity,

meant to be opened again and again

with every passing year

to be enjoyed anew?

i haven't quite figured out how to tell

the difference between

attraction and appreciation

but i know i feel them both

for you.