If you are a traditionalist, you may have thought of the conventional ways you could express your love. You could send a dozen red roses, a heart shaped box of chocolates, or one of these unique Valentine’s Day gifts. You could buy a personalized gift or keepsake and have it engraved with a special message of love. You could profess your love in lights on a billboard at a hockey game, or buy gifts of jewelry and perfume. These gestures of love are time-honored and leave no room for doubt as to your intended message.
That said, such brazen statements of love can sometimes be overwhelming for the person in your life – especially if your relationship is fairly new. Sometimes the subtle gestures are the best received. We all need a little assistance in navigating the bumpy road to love, which is fraught with occasion for error and faux pas. While our hearts tell us to shoot for the stars and scream from the rooftops, we must observe the social mores of love and romance lest we make the mistakes of so many before us, whose woeful tales of heartbreak we have all heard a thousand times.
There are many ways to express your love for someone but, especially in new relationships, some simple social rules should be observed. For instance, the seemingly simple action of changing one’s Facebook status from “single” to “in a relationship” is almost guaranteed to solicit comments, “likes,” emails, texts, wall posts and phone calls from friends, acquaintances, frenemies and relatives. It’s an action that cannot be undone, and it’s an action that will hold you to your word simply because, if either of you decide to end the relationship, you will be forced to announce to the world that you are now “single” – a far more humiliating status update than the previous one. And while your very public break up will solicit fewer responses than your announcement of newfound love, the knowledge that people are feeling sympathy, awkwardness or quiet indignation is a lot worse.
Be sure your partner feels the same way before posting your happy news on any online medium. If in doubt – wait for him/her to post first. It might also be wise to wait until the two of you have reached a point in your relationship where things are serious enough that the likelihood of a breakup is next to none.
If you haven’t said the words “I Love You” yet, think carefully about your reasons for doing so. Is it impulse, or do you truly feel love for him/her? There’s no reason to hold back if you truly love someone, but be aware that your partner may not be ready to proclaim their love for you in return, which may hurt your feelings. Remember too, that anyone can profess their love for someone, but actions speak louder than words. If you truly care about a person, show them in the way you act, and the things that you do. It’s often the little things that show how important they are to you.
Leave a love note on the fridge, pick up his or her favorite candy on the way home from work one day, give massages without expecting them in return, and get up early to make breakfast in bed on a Sunday morning. Try active listening with your partner on a regular basis and learn about what really makes them tick. Find out what his or her motivations are in life and share in them by planning things together.
To say “I Love You” in sign language, extend all of your fingers on one hand as if you were giving a high five. Fold down your middle and ring finger so that only your two end fingers and thumb are up. Viola! It’s that simple.