love languages.

you know what's interesting? love languages.

it is weird and amazing to me the way that different humans feel loved in different ways... that the way we may show love to someone may not communicate that love as effectively as another way could. and it's interesting that we tend to communicate our love for other people through the ways that we feel loved. but others may not get the depth of our affection when they speak a different language of love. they may need to feel loved in completely different ways in order for it to be effective.

i think i've decided, like most people, that i have a mixture of languages that best communicate love to me. mostly, though, touch makes me feel loved in ways that few other methods can. a touch of the hand, a hug or squeeze, or physical closeness with the people i love is the way that best says, "i love you" to me. and affirming words, even if they are the same ones over and over, continually refresh my knowledge of someone loving me. acts of help and service, gifts, and quality time are, of course, wonderful. but they don't fill up my love tank the way pulling me close, looking me in the eyes, and saying "i really enjoy you" does. if i have some devoted touch and affirming words during my day, i can go farther in between the times of quality time or anything else. it's like it sticks with me longer and goes deeper inside of me.

it's really interesting. and it's weird how i'll speak the words i would want to hear or reach out and touch someone in the way that would communicate love to me, and it doesn't quite make someone else feel the way it would for me. this isn't anything new, but just something i've been thinking about... we need to make concerted efforts to try to learn and recognize what makes each other tick, feel our best, and best soak up the love that we may be projecting but aren't converting to forms that best speak that to another. a lot can be missed through mere discrepancies in the love languages we speak.