Love Languages

I recently read the book "The Five Love Languages." I'd heard a lot about it and was super curious. So I checked it out from the library (the singles edition because the didn't have the original).

Conclusion? Totally worth the read.

It taught me a lot about myself and other people, and it's been interesting to look at my life with this new perspective. So my primary love language is almost certainly physical touch, with quality time coming close behind. It's been interesting to note that the less hugs I get, the more grumpy I am, and I even get stressed out easier (sleep might also be a small factor). So I know that if I'm feeling too stressed or grumpy or whatever, I just need to get a hug from someone. A good hug- no lame ones. So that was one practical application. I can also seek out quality time with friends or family- or even myself, because sometimes everyone needs some quality alone time. That helps refill my "love tank," as the book calls it, and gets me through another day.

The other fun part has been trying to determine what other people's love languages are, and let me tell you, I'm pretty abysmal at identifying them so far. But it's still a fun thing to think about- what makes this person tick? What makes them feel happy? Loved? Appreciated? It's something that, especially as an author, I've always been curious about. Isn't it fascinating that there can be billions of living people just as complex as we are? And yet they are so different from us. We can never see all of a person's complexity- I've heard it explained as we think so many words a minute, and we can't speak that fast, and I doubt very much that we can gain any kind of understanding as fast as we speak the words that we think. It's so fascinating to me, and I want to understand it. So the love languages are a good tool.

It was really interesting to read about the different ways that people feel loved, and the different things that we can do, both to find love, and to give love. So my challenge is to do that. Apply it in your own life- look for how others feel loved, and make them feel loved! If you haven't read the book, read it, or at least Wikipedia it. And then use what you've learned.

And if you see me, give me a hug.