What’s love got to do with it?
Apparently, a lot.
When it comes to love…what kind of person are you? What gives you the ‘warm and fuzzies’?
Did you know that individuals are hard-wired differently and not everything speaks ‘love’ to the same person?
It takes years to get to know oneself and as a person who has always been mindful of trying to get to know the real person inside, I finally figured out what exactly it is that I need to have and do that gives me an affirmation of love.
There are a number of books out there on the ‘love languages’ that do help to try and figure out what it is that affirms ‘love’ to us. You can learn a lot about yourself and also a lot about another by examining the different ways individuals speak love.
Specifically, the five ways to show and receive love are: words of affirmation, spending quality time together, receiving gifts, acts of service, and physical touch. Found at https://www.mindbodygreen.com/articles/the-5-love-languages-explained, marriage and family therapist Sunny Motamedi, Psy. D. says, “Discovering you and your partner's primary love language and speaking that language regularly may [create] a better understanding of each other's needs and support each other's growth."
I guess if you are a lover, many or most of the love languages could and should pertain at one time or another…because in relationships, I think there are always appropriate times to display ‘love’ in certain specific ways. But for all of us, after much self-evaluation, we should be able to figure out the most dominant one that is specific to our person.
I grew up in a household and still hold fast to regularly affirming my love to my loves by speaking it out and saying ‘I love you.’ This does not mean that all ‘I love you’s’ are equal in meaning but are meant to let them know that I love and value them in one way or another…my spouse and offspring and their offspring, my parents and siblings, etc, friends and those others close to me…and the list goes on…
I would say, I’m much more of a lover than a fighter.
And if you have a significant other, it is extremely important to value your relationship by spending quality time together – and I am sure the ‘quality time’ can be defined to mean whatever it is to each of us.
I know of a person who continually receives gifts or tokens of appreciation from their significant other. It’s rather funny, because it’s sometimes an ‘I’m sorry’ gesture, but it works for them. There are always times in our life when we give a gift to show we care, as well.
Acts of affection could include a whole range of acts or things we do, from regularly taking out the garbage to making that morning pot of coffee to share with your love. Some of us like the simple things in life and for me to wake up to a cup of coffee is a good start to the day.
For others, physical touch is what floats-your-boat, and I’m not specifically talking about sex either.
Sometimes, a touch can say what you want to say when words are not enough. I’m one of these ‘touchy-feely’ persons. I’m a hugger…I also like to hold hands, snuggle, touch a shoulder, give a kiss, shake-hands or whatever. I love it - I am what I am and I’ve come to terms with it!
So, from my heart to yours, I love you, appreciate you, and try and do my best in my job to show I care about you and our community, your business, your readership, etc. My gift to you is always to possibly encourage you with my words or give you food for thought, so think of this as a hug from me to you.
Happy Valentine’s Day!
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the position of this publication.
