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The Amish Voice 5
We all want to feel
appreciated and wanted
.
We all want to feel
understood and cared for
.
We all want to feel
loved
.
Whether you're single, dating, or married, the thought of loving
and being loved is what life is all about.
We all love differently; therefore, the way we want to be loved
is different. It doesn't necessarily fit into the "one-size-fits-all"
box.
Dr. Gary Chapman has spent decades counseling couples and
helping strengthen marriage relationships. He realized that
every person has his or own “love language,” or way in which
one expresses and interprets love. Dr. Chapman also noticed
that almost everyone is attracted to someone who speaks a
different love language than his own. He believes that it is
important to know and understand your own love language, and
also the love language of your spouse. As Dr. Chapman says,
“True love is not a myth, but it takes work. Making sure that the
one you love feels loved requires commitment, understanding,
and effective communication.”
In his pamphlet,
Gateway to the 5 Love Languages
, Dr.
Chapman summarizes the five love languages:
Words of Affirmation
—Actions don’t always speak louder
than words. If this is your love language, unsolicited
compliments mean the world to you. Hearing the words, “I love
you,” are important—hearing the reasons behind that love sends
your spirits skyward. Insults can leave you shattered and are not
easily forgotten.
Quality Time
—In the common language of Quality Time,
nothing says “I love you” like full, undivided attention. Being
there for this type of person is
critical, but really being
there—with the noise off,
fork and knife down, and all
chores
and
tasks
on
standby—makes
your
significant other feel truly
special
and
loved.
Distractions, postponed dates,
or the failure to listen can be
especially hurtful.
Receiving
Gifts
—Don’t
mistake this love language for
materialism; the receiver of
gifts thrives on the love,
thoughtfulness, and effort
behind the gift. If you speak
this language, the perfect gift
or gesture shows that you are
known, you are cared for, and
you are prized above
whatever was sacrificed to
bring the gift to you. A
missed birthday, anniversary,
or a hasty, thoughtless gift
would be disastrous—so
would the absence of
everyday gestures.
Acts of Service
—
Can sweeping the
floors really be
The 5 Love Languages