Let There Be Emotion

The last time someone told me that people either love me or hate me I saw the bright side. I wasn't bothered by the statement in the past, but I've finally realized I should take it as a compliment.

Being loved or hated means having a strong enough effect on someone to evoke at least some kind of emotion; be it good or bad, at least they feel my presence. If you hate me it means I have a personality. I might rub you the wrong way, but a bad rub to one is a massage to another. And knowing there are people out there that I rub the right way makes the haters fade away.

It's not to say I find joy in being hated. But is there joy in feeling that your place in someone's life is met with the same indifference as the __________?

I had to leave that blank because the only people I feel indifferent about are the one's I don't know. I could have written the guy at the gas station, but when I go for gas we talk about skiing. Then I thought about the mailman, but when he shows up on his scooter I teach him new phrases in English. The lady on the running path smiles, the guy at the dump saves me broken ceramics and the old people in the mountains and at the sea wave and say hello; I find indifference difficult.

So go ahead and make my day. Tell me you love me or hate me. But please don't say I'm just ok, because I take that as a real insult.