Summary

The article discusses the author's personal experiences with her husband's acts of love, emphasizing the importance of understanding and expressing love through one's preferred love language.

Abstract

The author reflects on her relationship with her husband, highlighting specific acts of service and quality time that he provides, such as airport pickups and morning tea service, which she values more than gifts. She explains that while her husband initially showed love through lavish gifts, he learned to cater to her love language, which includes acts of service and quality time. The article also introduces the concept of the five love languages—words of affirmation, quality time, physical touch, acts of service, and receiving gifts—and encourages readers to discover their own love language to enhance their relationships. A link to a quiz for identifying one's love language is provided, and the author emphasizes that understanding and respecting each other's love languages can lead to a more fulfilling and loving partnership.

Opinions

The author believes that acts of service, such as her husband's "Princess Pickup" at the airport, are powerful expressions of love.
She values quality time and physical touch, like morning tea and foot rubs, as meaningful gestures from her husband.
The author suggests that understanding one's love language is crucial for both expressing love and feeling loved in return.
She implies that gifts, while appreciated, are not as significant as acts of service and quality time for her personally.
The author advocates for the idea that the effort and thoughtfulness behind a gift are more important than its monetary value.
She emphasizes the importance of communication in a relationship to ensure both partners' needs are met in terms of how they prefer to receive love.

Princess Pickup and Other Nice Things My Husband Does to Show Me He Loves Me

Do you know your love language?

Valentine’s Day is right around the corner as I write this and I am remembering a young man who wanted to impress and win the heart of his new girl on a wintry day.

We had only been dating steadily for a few months as my mother and I watched my then-boyfriend/now-husband zoom into the driveway and walk to the trunk of his car to retrieve the Valentine’s gifts he had for me.

As he lifted the trunk several huge heart-shaped helium balloons took flight into the air and we laughed as we watched that goof try to leap over 6-foot snow piles to catch them.

He returned to the car dejected that his surprise had gotten away but delighted me with red roses, a too-large card, and a Love-a-Lot Care Bear.

I think that’s when I knew he was a keeper.

He’s always enjoyed showering me with gifts and trinkets but that’s not my primary love language. I prefer acts of service and quality time together. It’s taken him a few years to figure this out and refrain from buying lavish gifts on holidays (although I’ll never turn my nose up at flowers) and investing instead in the things that say to me “I love you.”

The top of the list for me is Princess Pickup

I had a job that required a lot of travel. The travel and the work were stressful. To give me a little less to worry about, my husband always dropped me off and picked me up at the airport whenever possible.

What a relief to not have to navigate the parking garage, lug my belongings any further, and deal with traffic on days I was wiped out.

This act of service spelled L-O-V-E to me!

Morning tea and dog walking in the cold

I go into hibernation mode when the weather gets cold. Dogs still require potty walks no matter what the thermometer says. I simply dread cold mornings and the idea of going outside where it’s even colder sends me diving back under the covers.

My husband and I have an arrangement: I feed the dogs and start the tea kettle. He takes them outside for their morning constitutional and then pours my tea and brings it to me in bed.

Although, I will say that when he was terribly ill with long covid for many, many months, I took care of all the dog duties in the morning so he could sleep in. That’s how actions show love.

Foot rubs

I can’t tell you how much this one means to me. Years of plantar fasciitis left me with chronic foot pain. In the evening while he watches football (my act of love) and I lie down and close my eyes, he rubs my feet. I no longer have chronic foot pain but this is such a stress reliever and sleep inducer that it’s pure heaven.

There are five major love languages

Words of affirmation: Spoken praise, encouraging words, compliments. Who do you love that seems to light up when you say “thank you” and express how much you appreciate them?
Quality time: These folks crave your undivided attention, walks together, date night, eye contact. They love it when you turn off the television and ask them about their day.
Physical touch: Hand holding, a foot rub, hugs, and sitting close together.
Acts of service: filling up the gas tank, washing the dishes, taking the kids out so your partner can have a bubble bath in peace. Acts of service are free but they’re worth a million bucks to the receiver!
Receiving gifts: Can you pick up some flowers at the grocery store or take the time to order a handmade gift from Etsy?

People who enjoy receiving gifts as part of their primary love language do not necessarily expect large or expensive presents; it’s more the effort and thoughtfulness behind the gift that count. — VeryWellMind

How to find your love language

Knowing your significant other’s love language can help you provide the type of acts that really say “I love you.” Do you know your love language? Here is an easy quiz to find the answer.

It’s important to know your love language so you can express your needs to your partner, but also be aware that the way you feel loved may not be what your partner needs.

I know some women find it odd that I don’t want jewelry and expensive dinners, but foot rubs and Princess Pickup are what spell L-O-V-E for me!

What can you do for your Valentine to make them feel more loved?

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