There is a difference between saying that you care about someone, caring about someone, caring for someone and actually showing that you care.

Basically, if you really care about someone, you will do everything you can do in order to keep them happy. Not as a duty, but purely because if you care about someone, the thought of seeing them sad is torture to you, so you would do what you can to prevent this. This behaviour is called showing that you care.

Telling somebody that you care about them and them failing to show it, is outright hurtful. Harmful even, to the person at hand's self-worth and dignity. The point is, if somebody says they care, but doesn't show it, they never cared in the first place.

Caring for somebody is what you would do for an elderly or sick person. It could be described as lending a helping hand. Bringing the person a cup of tea or a book to read falls into this category too, but can also qualify as showing that you care. The difference is that when one is caring for somebody, there is usually a reason behind it that prevents the person from doing it for themself. When showing that you care, it is done unconditionally. Selflessly. A sweet gesture to prove that what you are saying is actually what you are feeling.

What some people don't understand is that no human is so in tune into another that they know exactly what the other feels. This is why showing your emotions by means of actions or gestures is so important. One also forgets that lies, secrets and betrayal fall into the gesture category too, and are a sure-fire way to show somebody that not only are you not prepared to show that you care, you in fact lied about caring in the first place.

All this seems to be a load of the rediculous expectations of the female species. I can understand that it may seem that way. The only problem with that theory is that I am a female and I know what feels great, what feels good, what feels bad, and what really hurts. It hurts to be lied to. It's not an unreasonable expectation for one to not want to be hurt.

So if there are any boys reading this, please take my advice, and show your girls that you care. Believe me, you won't regret it (and will be well rewarded).