5 Ways to Show Love

Valentine's Day is tomorrow. The holiday dedicated to love. Or commercialism, if you're being realistic about it.

Chocolates, balloons, flowers marked up to make more money. All of these things have become a part of this holiday on a cold February where, more than likely, the weather isn't conducive to going out unless you're wearing five layers of clothes.

Nevertheless, many people still celebrate; whether it be a Galentines celebration with close girlfriends, giving Valentine's cards to classmates, having class parties, or the traditional date.

Growing up, my parents made sure to give each of us one of those heart-shaped boxes of chocolate and remind us how much we're loved so that we would know what it felt like and not seek it out from the wrong places.

Things are slightly different now that we're grown up and some of us have significant others. But I've realized the importance of other, sometimes smaller examples of love that are present not just at Valentine's, and not just with significant others. So, I thought I'd share a few.

1. Text me when you get home.

There are four people that I text when I'm traveling and the plane lands. My mom, my dad, my sister, and my bestie. It makes me feel loved when they want to make sure that I've made it safe, even though it's something so simple.

I've extended this to my boyfriend, insisting that he tell me when he gets home. He jokes about it, but he knows that it's a part of how I show him love.

2. Did you eat?

Checking to see that someone's basic needs are met is a good sign that someone cares about you. There have been many instances where I was scraping and saving my money and eating pop tarts, or eggs and grits, and insisting that I was fine. And every time, someone in my life would send me money for food or groceries. Or, if I was on a trip and was ordering the bare minimum at a restaurant, someone would pay for my meal and encourage me to order what I actually wanted.

3. I can fix it.

The amount of things in my apartment that my boyfriend has fixed astounds me, and it's generally things that I never would have thought of; taping around my balcony door to keep the cold from seeping in, vacuuming out the closet where my air/heat unit is, putting together furniture that I thought I could do by myself but I got frustrated...

I've even found myself extending things like this to my friends, editing documents, and creating spreadsheets to organize things. I genuinely enjoy using my talents to help others, and I know that it's appreciated.

4. Listening.

With most of my friends, I'm the listener. If someone needs to vent, or just talk, I'll willingly listen without much interruption. I'm not necessarily the "giving advice" friend, but I'll listen.

With my Bestie or my boyfriend, however? I don't actually shut up. And the wonderful thing is that neither of them mind, happy to just let me ramble on. It's nice to be listened to without feeling like you're a burden.

5. Celebrating wins.

I've been on a personal improvement journey this past year, and I'm happy to say that I have no shortage of cheerleaders. People who give encouragement, who celebrate with me when I make progress, and who pick me up when I feel that I've fallen short of a goal. Whether it be personal or professional, I know that I have a circle of people around me who only want the best for me.

Honestly, I think that this is one of my favorite expressions of love.

I realize that all of these are expressions of love that I show/am shown by both my friends/family and my boyfriend, and it makes me smile even more.

After all, isn't one of the best feelings being in love with your best friend?

What are some ways that you show love to others, or they show love to you?