love someone?

I mean a member of your family who you feel obligated to love. Do you know if your true feelings even touch on that?

I haven't see my dad too much throughout my life. A couple of times a year at the most. Yet every time we finish one of our (very infrequent) phonecalls, I tell him I love him. I'm not sure if I do. I've come to accept his absence in my life. But does it mean he has also been absent in my heart? (oh GOD what do i sound like? no, dont tell me)

Yeah so. erm.

...How do you know that you truly love someone like that?