In the last blog (Let’s Talk Relationships) we’d talked about “Relationships”. In today’s blog we are going to talk about “Love.”
As humans, we were designed to not only be in relation with other people, we were designed to also love others in ANY relationship. The two go hand in hand. The basis of each relationship is different (like we discussed in the last blog). That being said, the dynamics of love in each relationship are different, too. For instance, if we are married we have an opportunity to have a uniquely, sacred, and beautiful love that we only share with our spouse. Other relationships in our life don’t consist of that same dynamic love.
Another example of different love dynamics is; we have a friend that has been through “thick and thin” with us, always having been there for us. That relationship has a deeper and more real love than some other relationships, like a business relationship.
No matter the dynamics of the relationship, they still have an amount of love and “caring” in them.
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. 1 Corinthians 13:4-8
Love is powerful. It has the power to turn a persons’ world upside down and inside and out in a blink of an eye!
We understand that there are different dynamics of love in our relationships, but what about HOW we love other people? What does this look like?
Have you heard of the book “The five love languages?” The basis of of the book describes that there are 5 different love languages we tend to love others with. What are the five languages?
- Words of Affirmation: This means we verbally speak words such as, “I Love You!”
- Quality Time: This is a language that means we give/take time time to spend with someone we love. By spending quality time together with someone we can show we love and appreciate them.
- Receiving Gifts: Giving a gift of any sort is something that speaks more in action rather than words. Going out of a person’s way to give something spontaneous and special is just another way to show you love and care about someone.
- Acts of Service: Making breakfast, taking the garbage out, cleaning the bathroom, doing a load of laundry, watching the kids, taking the dog out for a walk are all ways that can be acts of service. This quality is one that removes excess “burden” from a person’s life.
- Physical Touch: Giving a hug, a simple touch on the shoulder, a kiss, or a soft caress can be ways of saying “I love you”.
I share these 5 basic love languages because these are a great examples to recognize in our daily relationships. The love dynamics with each individual in our lives, like we talked about earlier, is different… and the ways we show our love are going to be different.
In any and every relationship in our life, love really is behind it. We don’t reach out to people if we didn’t care for them. We wouldn’t lay down our life for someone if we didn’t love them. We wouldn’t feel emotion for if we didn’t love someone. You see, love is unique and special. Love is ever growing and changing!
Love is more than hugs and kisses. Love goes the extra mile to extend a helping hand. Love makes Dad get up in the middle of the night to feed the baby so Mom can sleep. Love doesn’t only make a peanut butter sandwich… it makes the peanut butter WITH jelly sandwich! Love takes the time to do that little something to make someone else’s day. Love “does”.
Love is an essential part of our human experience that we were designed for. Love and relationships go hand in hand. You can’t have one without the other!
Your Life, Your Choice 