I just completed my latest book, The 5 Love Languages by Gary Chapman. I heard about this on the Oprah Winfrey Show and from many friends, so I finally decided to check it out. Why did I wait so long? This book was good from beginning to end; it even has exercises to complete at the end of each chapter. The discussions around this book usually centered around romantic relationships but I believe the 5 Love Languages can be applied to all relationships.
If you are not familiar with the 5 Love Languages, they are:
Love Language #1: Words of Affirmation
Love Language #2: Quality Time
Love Language #3: Receiving Gifts
Love Language #4: Acts of Service
Love Language #5: Physical Touch
If you are thinking, “Can you have more than one love language?” the answer is yes. I may have three: Words of Affirmation, Acts of Service and Quality Time.
As I was reading, there was one statement that stuck with me: “Life’s deepest meaning is not found in accomplishments but in relationships.” As I thought about this statement, I had moments of reflection over my life. This is a very accurate statement.
We go through life-seeking relationships (whether you want to admit it or not). Some of us are looking for romantic relationships, others platonic relationships, still others professional relationships and the list goes. Every relationship we experience in life will shape us and open us to new experiences, and hopefully those experiences will make us better.
As I have moved from my home base (where I was born, raised and spent most of my life), I have seen the importance of opening up to the experience of meeting new people and forming new relationships. Yes, there are some days we need some alone time but the times that we want to be in fellowship with others outnumber those days. It is in relationships that we discover ourselves, other customs, traditions, extra-curricular activities and that we connect with each other. The harder mission is finding positive people to develop positive relationships that develop/mature us.
I have a few things I need you to do: read The 5 Love Languages, pick your two love languages, think about your current relationships and how they shape your life (get rid of ones that are not positive), put value in your relationships and not things and stop saying you don’t need relationships/people. I promise when you do these things, you will see a positive shift in all your relationships!!
Relationships are the way we are connected and relate to each other! Let’s focus on making every relationship a positive connection!!