Everybody is different, so saying “I love you,” for the first time to someone after knowing them for a month, may seem normal to one person, and saying “I love you” for the first time to someone after knowing them for a year, may seem normal to another person. The best way to judge whether your boyfriend is “overdue” for saying “I love you” is to really ask yourself if this is the only thing he’s slow at.
For instance, if your boyfriend was “on time” introducing you to his friends, which is a landmark in any relationship, that will help you gauge if he’s on track or not to say “I love you.” If he was slow to ask you out on a date, make a first move, sleep with you, or introduce you to his family, then these are all points of reference by which you can decide if this guy is just slow in general — and right on schedule — for him! Or, he may be more on time with these other landmarks, and only slow when it comes to saying “I love you.”
Also, some people think “I love you” is extremely meaningful, and they aren’t cheap with their words. Other people spout the line left and right, and it comes naturally to them to say it six times a day or more. If he’s the kind of person who’s thoughtful before he speaks and careful with his words, he may be just waiting until the time is right.
So figure out if your boyfriend is on schedule with the other landmarks in a relationship, according to his own inner clock. If saying “I love you” is the only thing he’s late with, then he may truly have trouble letting go of a past relationship or moving forward with you. But if he’s just slow getting to most landmarks in the relationship, then this schedule of waiting to say “I love you” is normal for him, and you’ll have to be patient, knowing it’s coming. People with differences can make things work beautifully, but it requires understanding the differences and allowing for them.
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