…I’ll share love speaking THEIR love language

Reiki is all about compassion and love; and as a Reiki Master, I am fulfilled when I am asked to spend time healing others.  My heart fills with love and appreciation; because Quality Time is one of my love languages.

Love languages, you ask, “what is that?”  It is the language spoken when we show others how much we love and appreciate them.  Unfortunately, many of us think we are speaking clearly; but little do we know, the other cannot hear us because they speak a different love language than we do.  And if we don’t know the language they speak, they may not get the message about how we feel.

Recently, I read Gary Chapman’s book, “The 5 Love Languages.”  This book opened up my eyes and heart to how I spoke to the ones I loved; and to the lack of love I thought I had received.  I realized one reason I love giving Reiki is because my primary love language is Quality Time.  When I spend time with others, via talking over coffee, others planning a thoughtful night out, or a conversation over appetizers and drinks, I feel our relationship is strong.  However, they may not feel the same love I do when we sit for coffee.

So, I also learned that for them to feel loved I needed to speak in their love language.  For example, I have a friend who feels loved when gifts are received.  Although, I don’t like to show my love through giving gifts, I know that I need to give a gift for this person to feel loved.  Moreover, I also realized that just because others I loved didn’t want to spend time talking over a cup of coffee didn’t mean they loved me less.  I learned that each individual showed their love in a different way; such as giving me presents just because, washing my car after weeks of neglecting, or showing me their latest project.  And they may not know I speak in Quality Time language, so the car washing is their way of saying they love me.

Before this Valentine’s Day, I recommend you take the quiz on Gary Chapman’s site.  http://www.5lovelanguages.com/profile/.  Find out your love language and read the summary.  Also read true stories and testimonies at http://www.5lovelanguages.com/stories/.  Then take some time to think about who you will be spending this Valentine’s Day with (or even birthdays and Christmases.)  Do these people speak the same language as you or different?  How will you show this person your appreciation for them?  I hope it will be in the language that they speak, so your love is heard.

Happy Valentine’s Day!  ~Christine