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What language of love do YOU speak? I love you. Let me vacuum out your car. Here’s the necklace you’ve always wanted. Let’s sit by the fire and talk. Do you need a hug? Gary Chapman lists five love languages:
Words of Affirmation Acts of Service Receiving Gifts Quality Time Physical Touch.
If you’re not sure which is yours, take the test: https://www.5lovelanguages.com/.
Also knowing someone’s love language makes a difference in how we express our love to them. And what better time to consider this than Valentine’s Day!
Valentine’s Day affords all of us the opportunity to show love through helping someone, giving a gift, spending one-on-one time at a coffee shop, offering a back rub, and especially through a compliment. Valentine cards can be found at Hallmark, but verbal valentines are also great!
Words of affirmation are even more special when the compliment has been passed on second-hand or anonymously. It’s as if a buzz was stirred about the recipient.
“The other day, Carrie mentioned what a kind person you are,” ----involves a confirmation party of two.
“I heard about you! Someone said that your work in sales is outstanding”--- creates mystery. The recipient imagines it could be anyone. And when speculating it could be ANYONE, it can be EVERYONE.
In the children’s book “Somebody Loves You, Mr. Hatch,” a lonely old man who works in a shoelace factory receives a box of candy and a card with the words, “Somebody loves you.” As he tries to guess the anonymous giver, his whole life changes. He reaches out to others because he feels loved. His actions cause reactions and new friends.
What Mr. Hatch doesn’t know is that he mistakenly received the card; it wasn’t meant for him. Nevertheless, just thinking somebody loved him changed his life. You can’t make a mistake by sharing genuine words of affirmation. But you CAN make a mistake by not encouraging someone.
After all, everybody needs to know, “Somebody loves you.”
