Series: The Language of Love (Part 2)
Love is crucial for relationships. Love fuels the engine and enables the relationship to continue growing.
Gretchen Rubin wrote an interesting article (https://www.forbes.com/sites/gretchenrubin/2011/12/13/which-love-language-suits-you/) about Gary Chapman’s The Five Love Languages. She wrote, “If one partner expresses love as ‘Acts of Service,’ but the other needs ‘Quality Time’ to feel loved, they’ll both feel frustrated. Or if a partner expresses love with ‘Gifts’ to a partner who needs ‘Words of Affirmation,’ that expression of love won’t be understood.” She goes on to emphasize how important it is to understand your partner’s love language so that you can express love to them using that language.
Rubin points out that Chapman was arguing that psychologically another person’s love language may not come naturally to their partner. However, we need to make a determined effort to understand and express love in the other person’s language, or it will not be understood. Understanding love languages also helps you understand yourself better.
Christine Hsu wrote (https://www.medicaldaily.com/psychologists-reveal-men-and-women-do-love-differently-are-equally-affectionate-241662), “Contrary to the common gender stereotypes, the latest findings revealed that the more men love their wives, the more likely they were to be affectionate and create an environment in which the couple does a variety of things together, be it leisure activities or household chores.” She also points out that a study (http://www.medicaldaily.com/articles/11197/20120731/love-marriage-men-women-affection-relationship.htm#1gkDaXVzvyFpzidV.99) found that, “Multilevel analyses revealed that, counter to theoretical expectations, both genders were equally likely to show love through affection. But whereas wives expressed love by enacting fewer negative or antagonistic behaviors, husbands showed love by initiating sex, sharing leisure activities, and doing household work together with their wives.”
With people having different love languages, it is important to know what they are. We need to invest in the relationship we have with the one we love. We should cherish the gift of love, and foster it as best we can.
Be sure to check out Chapman’s book to get a full picture of this vital topic. Click the picture below to get your own copy…
