Today’s Bloganuary post is:

How do you show love?

I’m not sure I show love the way everyone would prefer I show it. I’m not big on public displays of affection, for example, or even a lot of private displays of affection, although I am a hugger.  But I am sure that I love big, and hard, and deep. It just may not always be obvious in ways people expect.

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I show love by letting them know I believe in them. I attempt to reflect the worth of the people I love back to them. I try to show them how special they are, especially when they feel unworthy or unloved. I encourage them to express themselves and share their special talents with the world, no matter how big or how small. I love them for who they are, and I want them to feel comfortable knowing that they are amazing, wonderful people. (And yes, even when I’m mad at them, I still think they are amazing and wonderful. Just give me a minute to get over it).

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I show love by trying hard to make sure my disabled wife has whatever she needs to make her life worth living. 

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I show love by often giving gifts that I put real thought into. Gifts that I think they’ll not only be excited to receive – but ones that are outside the expected and go beyond the norm. (Sometimes, I have to fall back on the tried and true gift cards, but I don’t like doing that).

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I show love by keeping up with their lives as best I can. If they have a success, I celebrate it with intensity. If they have problems, I try to help.

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I show love by worrying about my people; by standing by my people; by standing up for my people; by protecting my people.

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I show love by actively telling them I love them.

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If I’m busy or crabby, I may not ooze the love I feel at that moment, but it’s there, and it will seep out later, in some way. And they know that to be true.