12 Ways to Express Your Love in a Relationship
We live in a world that reduces love {a beautifully complex process of willing the good of the other above one's own desires} down to sex. What a depressing concept - to take what is good, beautiful and, frankly, amazing, and have the audacity to say that the only way you can show romantic love to another human being is through physically giving them everything.
There are a multitude of ways to touch a person's soul and spirit without ever using your hands. Not that I'm in any way an expert, but here are twelve ways to show your love in a relationship uniquely.
1.
Help Them to Christ
Faith is at the core of a relationship that is Christ-centered.
Whether this manifests itself through a stop into the adoration chapel
at the end of a date, or even something as simple as a rosary walk
or quick prayer together before the night ends, you will not
be disappointed when you let the divine author of Love itself
into your relationship.
2.
Ask About Their Day
The monotonous happenings of week in and week out living
can result in days blending into each other. Yet a intentional
question of how someone's day was, or letting them know
that you thought about them while you were away can break
the same-ness of a routine schedule.
3.
Remember the Little Things
You know that big promotion that he put in for at work? What about
the new book that she's anxiously waiting for the release of? Little
details of someone's life might seem insignificant, but remembering
the small celebrations and struggles in the life of the one you love
shows an ability to listen and care about them.
4.
Compliment Who They Are, Not Just How They Look
Words of affirmation are a unique way to show affection
in a relationship. Don't default just to complimenting someone
on just their physical appearance - although these compliments are not
without merit. However, you have a unique view into someone's life when
you are in a romantic relationship, and the time spent together reveals
things about the other person that most may not recognize or appreciate
as you can. Maybe it's the way she laughs or the way he says a certain phrase.
Don't be afraid to bring attention to the characteristics that you love
out and compliment them. Additionally, the culture puts an
incredible amount of emphasis on how someone looks, and not
on who they are, their interest or their identity as a child of God.
Don't be afraid to notice the things the world deems as unimportant -
it's okay to be counter-cultural.
Compliment Who They Are, Not Just How They Look
Words of affirmation are a unique way to show affection
in a relationship. Don't default just to complimenting someone
on just their physical appearance - although these compliments are not
without merit. However, you have a unique view into someone's life when
you are in a romantic relationship, and the time spent together reveals
things about the other person that most may not recognize or appreciate
as you can. Maybe it's the way she laughs or the way he says a certain phrase.
Don't be afraid to bring attention to the characteristics that you love
out and compliment them. Additionally, the culture puts an
incredible amount of emphasis on how someone looks, and not
on who they are, their interest or their identity as a child of God.
Don't be afraid to notice the things the world deems as unimportant -
it's okay to be counter-cultural.
5.
Spend Time With Them
This may seem like a very simple way to show your affection for
someone, but the reason that today is called the 'present' is
because your time is a gift. Anyone can give gifts, money,
or conversations. When you give someone the gift of your
time, you give away something you will never get back. You
cannot rewind the clock - once minutes have ticked by on the clock,
they're gone - so don't be afraid to share those with your significant other.
Spend Time With Them
This may seem like a very simple way to show your affection for
someone, but the reason that today is called the 'present' is
because your time is a gift. Anyone can give gifts, money,
or conversations. When you give someone the gift of your
time, you give away something you will never get back. You
cannot rewind the clock - once minutes have ticked by on the clock,
they're gone - so don't be afraid to share those with your significant other.
6.
Read a Book Together
Perhaps this is entirely biased of me - the girl with a stack of books about as high
as she are that are calling her name over winter break. But as an avid reader,
there is something incredible about reading a book with someone.
Edmund Wilson once wrote, "No two people ever read the same book." The
perspective that another fellow reader can bring to the reading process is amazing.
So whether that is opening up a book on a shared interest or delving into fiction
together, open up the world of conversations
that can be ignited through the pages of a book read together.
as she are that are calling her name over winter break. But as an avid reader,
there is something incredible about reading a book with someone.
Edmund Wilson once wrote, "No two people ever read the same book." The
perspective that another fellow reader can bring to the reading process is amazing.
So whether that is opening up a book on a shared interest or delving into fiction
together, open up the world of conversations
that can be ignited through the pages of a book read together.
7.
Put Their Will Before Yours
So often "will the good of the other as other" is tossed around
when the discussion of how to demonstrate love is brought up. Yet in
practical terms, what does that phrase mean? It could be on a
large scale, in terms of relationship details unique to each couple.
Or it could be in the simple things - like letting the other decide what
to have for dinner, or which movie to go see. Will their good and
desires by putting yourself on the back burner for a while. The result
is a giving of yourself - which is undeniably an expression of love.
Put Their Will Before Yours
So often "will the good of the other as other" is tossed around
when the discussion of how to demonstrate love is brought up. Yet in
practical terms, what does that phrase mean? It could be on a
large scale, in terms of relationship details unique to each couple.
Or it could be in the simple things - like letting the other decide what
to have for dinner, or which movie to go see. Will their good and
desires by putting yourself on the back burner for a while. The result
is a giving of yourself - which is undeniably an expression of love.
8.
Write Them Letters
Writing down your feelings for someone is sometimes a challenge
in a world that is filled with instant-gratification communication.
The time it takes to pull out paper and an envelope, put your emotions
into words on a paper, and then send those words, full of meaning,
off in the hands of a postman seems to be a concept of those good old days
we always hear about. But writing a old fashioned letter can communicate
much more than just the words that you put on the paper. The time, thought
and surprise of a envelope in the mail (that is not a bill to be paid) is a way to
show your affection to your loved one.
9.
Try Something New Together
From my own experience, it is easy to stay in a comfort zone in your
personal life as well as in the life of your relationship. Try changing
things up during the time that you spend together. It could be a new
activity (the last time you went bowling was sixth grade? Pull out those
shoes and hit the lanes!) or a new restaurant, but change things
around and enjoy the adventure together.
In the words of the wise Saint John Paul II,
"Life with Christ is a wonderful adventure."
Try Something New Together
From my own experience, it is easy to stay in a comfort zone in your
personal life as well as in the life of your relationship. Try changing
things up during the time that you spend together. It could be a new
activity (the last time you went bowling was sixth grade? Pull out those
shoes and hit the lanes!) or a new restaurant, but change things
around and enjoy the adventure together.
In the words of the wise Saint John Paul II,
"Life with Christ is a wonderful adventure."
10.
Take Interest in Their Interests
This can be challenging - but while your in the adventurous mood,
take genuine interest in hobbies or favorites of your loved one. You
weren't a super hero fan before you met him? Ask him to explain
the latest plot of the comic he's been reading. Never tried her favorite
drink? Today's the day then, friend. It may not end up being a mutual
interest, but the thought behind trying something new for the sake
This can be challenging - but while your in the adventurous mood,
take genuine interest in hobbies or favorites of your loved one. You
weren't a super hero fan before you met him? Ask him to explain
the latest plot of the comic he's been reading. Never tried her favorite
drink? Today's the day then, friend. It may not end up being a mutual
interest, but the thought behind trying something new for the sake
of your loved one goes far beyond the shared experience or interest.
11.
Put Away Technology
Yet another product of our time, the good old cell phone
can distract incredibly from time spent with your partner. When
you spend time with your loved one, put technology away and
appreciate the genuine face to face time (not Face Time) you can
spend with the person who you love.
Put Away Technology
Yet another product of our time, the good old cell phone
can distract incredibly from time spent with your partner. When
you spend time with your loved one, put technology away and
appreciate the genuine face to face time (not Face Time) you can
spend with the person who you love.
12.
Pray FOR Them
So often, the phrase "I'll pray for you" is discounted.
So often, the phrase "I'll pray for you" is discounted.
Never discount the incredible power of praying for someone.
Through prayer, you are able to take concerns, struggles, successes and dreams
and offer them up to Christ. This way of showing love could take various forms.
Perhaps it's offering up a Hail Mary for your loved one when you wake up
every morning. Or it could be remembering their intentions during your Mass.
Whatever way this form of affection manifests itself, there is nothing more
attractive than a lover who sees the significance of the eternal beauty of the other's soul.
Through prayer, you are able to take concerns, struggles, successes and dreams
and offer them up to Christ. This way of showing love could take various forms.
Perhaps it's offering up a Hail Mary for your loved one when you wake up
every morning. Or it could be remembering their intentions during your Mass.
Whatever way this form of affection manifests itself, there is nothing more
attractive than a lover who sees the significance of the eternal beauty of the other's soul.
And there are my twelve, perhaps rambling and unconnected thoughts. Don't get me wrong - physical expression - appropriate to the level of relationship experienced - of how much you appreciate and desire the good of your loved one is an amazing expression of your emotions and decisions. However, don't discount the beauty of expressing your love in your relationship with time, words and actions. You won't regret it, I promise.