Love is the feeling that you have for another person, whether it is a person you are just friends with, a partner in marriage or dating, a child or parent, or even a pet. To experience love is to feel the bond of two people who share their lives. Love encompasses a whole range of positive and powerful emotional and psychological states, from a purest form of virtue, the strongest personal emotion, to the nicest experience. It is something we all want to experience at some point in our lives.
So how do we know if we are receiving love when we receive love? There are five love languages that we can speak to ourselves, in order to determine if someone is loving us. This does not mean that we are giving the same love messages to our spouse as we would to a best friend or stranger. This simply means that there are subtle differences between the love languages. The five love languages are described as follows:
o Intimacy – this is the most basic form of love. At its core, it is sharing the joy of being loved. Intimacy is often experienced when two people first meet and create an emotional connection. You may notice that two strangers will hold hands and kiss each other when they first meet. When two lovers embrace each other after the initial connection has worn off, this is considered intimacy. The heart beats softly in this type of love language.
o Affection – this is the primary love language. It is used when you have a romantic interest and it involves a great amount of time spent together. The person feels loved and cared for in this love language when you give them your undivided attention in the company of your partner.
o Appreciation – in this love language you give love when you receive things. Appreciation can take place if you are appreciative of what someone has done for you or if you are simply appreciating their existence. For example, if you were invited to a party, you could send your best friend the best gift you have received. This would be considered an expression of appreciation for his or her kind gesture. In this sense, you receive the feeling of love when you receive gifts or if you express your thanks in this way.
Each of the five love languages has its own characteristics that make it unique. The one you use depends on the personality of the receiver or the person to whom you are giving your love. While all love languages share some common characteristics, there are subtle variations between the primary love languages. It is important to experiment with your feelings and with who you are in love with to determine which love language works best for you. You may find that you fall in love with someone else in a completely different love language.