Love is in the air this week at Lord of Life Christian Preschool with our Sweetheart Dance, Valentine’s parties, and Teacher Appreciation Week. I walked into a preschool class today for the Valentine’s party and heard one of our teachers asking the students what makes them feel loved. They responded with the most beautiful and thoughtful answers. One preschooler said when his friends share with him at playtime. Another said being home with his mom and dad. Another preschooler said snacks.
The parents arrived and the students were eating a special Valentine’s snack. The room fell quiet as it does when children are eating donuts and cupcakes, so the teacher asked the questions again, but this time to the adults. What makes you feel loved? The room got even quieter. We stood there staring at each other; what makes me feel loved? The answers to this question came flowing easily and naturally to our children, but the adults? We were stumped.
I began to reflect on an earlier lunch conversation about love languages. Love languages are the ways we express and receive love. Dr. Gary Chapman highlights 5 main love language categories in his book: words of affirmation, quality time, receiving gifts, acts of service, and physical touch. A teacher and I were discussing how my husband packs lunches for our family each day. Another teacher asked if this was his love language. I said yes, he enjoys cooking and baking. He writes lunch notes to our daughters and bakes a custom request birthday cake for each birthday. Thinking about this conversation I can quickly identify my love language as gift giving.
I express love by gift giving, but I find it much more difficult and thought provoking to think of how I best receive love. Thinking back to the silence in that room, I am not the only one. After lots of awkward silence and thought, it came to me. I feel most loved when I receive help that I didn’t ask for. I’m not great at asking for help, but I feel calm, at ease, and loved by my friends and family when they notice I need something and jump in with support.
I challenge you this Valentine’s weekend to spend time thinking about you. What truly makes you feel loved? When we feel loved, when our bucket is full, we are able to share so much more love with the ones around us. Remember, “Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” (1 Corinthians 13:4-8 & 14)
With Love,
Nicole Wells
LOLCP Director