What I've also learned is that the language in which you express your love is very often the way you most easily receive it. So if you're an encouraging person, the chances are you need to be encouraged, and words of criticism cut pretty deep. Or if you love to give gifts, you could be disappointed to find hankies in the Christmas stocking.
Maybe that helps to explain some of the conflicts we see in relationships - we're just different - even though it seems at times we're hard-wired to expect sameness, that others should be like us. "I just don't understand him/her..."
So while I don't always enjoy personality tests, and I HATE (bold, italic AND underlined) being stuck in a box of someone else's making, it's also kinda fun to watch those around me to see if I can figure which of the five is their strongest.
Not just as an intellectual exercise, but so I can best love them, in a way that's easy for them to receive. Because I love them.
I've always appreciated my kids' desire to give me something special for my birthday or Father's Day, their mother has brought them up well! The good news is, that even for such a complicated guy, all I want for Christmas is pretty simple.
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PS: And a very Merry Christmas to you and yours, may it be full of blessing and joy J
Love is removing yourself from the throne
ReplyDeleteand putting another's needs before your own
Love is giving, with no expectation of receiving
Love is trusting, with no reason for believing.
(anon)
:)
Right on Kezza, as always, I appreciate your friendship. All the best for Christmas AND the New Year, whatever it brings :-)
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