Eswyn Gray '23
It is a common question that many of you have probably been asked: what is your love language? Love is such an abstract word and many stop and ponder its meaning entirely, but this question is an interesting one. How can a word so abstract have its own language, and not just one but multiple? Authors, bloggers, and journalists alike have written about these languages, and their articles have been sandwiched in between glossy magazine covers. Love can manifest itself in many ways, here are just a few.
Giving
Everyone loves receiving gifts. This explains why kids can’t fall asleep on Christmas Eve and wake up their parents just as the moon and sun begin to trade shifts. But for some, giving brings even more joy and excitement. It gives people satisfaction to see those they love beam when they open a perfectly wrapped present picked out just for them. The words, “this is just what I wanted,” can make someone’s heart skip a beat. It can make you feel like the best sister, friend, or grandson anyone could ever ask for.
Physical Touch
Many equate getting a big hug from someone you love to a warm mug of hot chocolate in a snowstorm or watching the sunset wrapped in a fuzzy blanket. Hugs and kisses bring warmth to the body and make you glow from the inside out. Hugs have a language too. This language often reflects different scenarios of love and caring. There is the I missed you, and I’m so happy to see you again hug, which is silly and bright. This warm embrace is contrasted with the goodbye hug which is heavy, tight, and long. There are also days when you are on the receiving end of a hug, which tells you that it’s all going to be okay. Love fills all of these encounters. Tight cuddles are coupled with comfort and the feeling of being safe and at peace. Love is something to be shared, and cozy hugs and cuddles can bring so many bubbly emotions to the ones who deserve it.
Words of Affirmation
It is important to be told how amazing you are. But it feels even more special coming from someone you care about. The words “I love you” maybe be overused, but often, that’s because there are no other words to best describe how important someone is to you. Telling the people you care about how much they mean to you is something that should be done often and thoughtfully. Well-thought out plans and grand ways in an attempt to show our devotion can be less impactful than a simple compliment. We all have someone we look up to:their personality, their values, the way they present themselves in the world. So, why not share that. Love carries. If you can plant a seed of love into someone everyday then that seed can grow into a branching tree whose limbs stretch out to reach the cracks and crevices of the earth. Share your love and it can travel further than you know.
Quality Time
Relationships can vary. Sometimes you can feel closest to a person when you are doing something together or just spending time with one another. This could mean going on an adventure like biking around a new city or trying a new restaurant in the neighborhood. It could also look like stargazing, looking up at the stars, and together, wondering how life got to be this way. It could be sitting in silence, driving down the highway with music filling in the quiet. Time spent with someone you love or even someone you want to get to know better can grow connections in so many ways. You can end up learning new things about a person you’ve known for years or trying something different together that you both end up loving. Quality time with the right people can rejuvenate you from the tiring cycle of life. It can be the perfect break, providing a unique difference in a worn-down routine.
All of these languages are a way of showing love and affection in somewhat indirect ways. Relationships are always growing and it is important to remember that love too, will grow; It often isn’t something that can come quickly. Love is shown and shared slowly. Telling someone you love them isn’t the only way to express this abstract and sometimes convoluted word. There are many ways and you can even make your own. The best love is unique to the relationship and is never forced.
XOXO
Comments