The 5 Love Languages by By Gary Chapman {Book Review}
I loved this book!! I originally heard about this book from an aunt of mine who told me how much this book had helped her marriage of 25+ years. Interesting, but I was single at the time so it did not seem relevant. Fast forward 6 years, I am now engaged and decided it was time to find out what everyone is talking about.
The 5 Love Languages explores 5 different emotional ways in which we receive love. They are:
- Words of Affirmation – receiving compliments or words of appreciation that make you feel loved.
- Quality Time – having your partner’s undivided attention by spending time together.
- Receiving Gifts.
- Acts of Service – having your partner help you with chore/errands.
- Physical Touch.
This book explains that we all feel love differently. What works for you may not necessarily work for your partner. If we are not feeling love, we become depleted. Learning the right Love Language can help keep you and your partners “love tank” full.
I thought I knew what worked for me. I needed to hear words of affirmation. Easy. Wrong…turns out Quality Time is my love language, particularly Quality Conversation, having my partner’s undivided attention when we are having a conversation. I finally understand why it drives me crazy when I am trying to have a conversation with my fiancé and he picks up the paper and starts to read….he can multitask he says….I also thought his Love Language was Acts of Service. Turns out he is Words of Affirmation. Who knew?
This book has brought up some very interesting conversations in our household. Understanding how we each feel loved is empowering and has brought a whole new level of understanding to how we relate to each other. I highly recommend this book to anyone, regardless of your relationship status.