Growing up in a house with 5 other siblings sometimes made it difficult for me to feel that I was forgotten or that there wasn’t enough love to go around. It seemed that the only way I received attention was when I got into trouble and I needed to be disciplined.
This is how I got both of my parents to pay attention to me and only me. The sad part of all of this was that the attention that I received came in the form of frustration, disappointment, and anger.
Those weren’t the reactions that I wanted when I felt alone or that I wasn’t loved but they were the reactions I received because of my behavior.
All I was looking for was love, I didn’t want to feel alone, but I didn’t know any other way to get it.
Now that I’m older and am able to look back at these sad and lonely moments in my past and I’m overcome with the task of not letting history repeat itself. My parents did not intentionally make me feel the way I did, they were working hard at making a living and trying to provide for their family.
They just forgot to make the small investments of time that would show me that they loved me. Love doesn’t need to be big to be genuine, it just needs to be found in the small things we do every day. Life has a way of filling our lives with so much stuff that we forget to acknowledge and pay attention to the ones we love. We must work hard at showing our loved ones that they matter.
Here are 5 easy ways to start showing love:
1. Affection If seeing is believing touching is knowing. Kisses and hugs show that you are connected.
2. Random surprises Show up to school to have lunch or to a practice just to watch, this says I love you and am thinking of you.
3. Make time No matter how busy you are, take a small amount of your day to help with homework, ask for help with dinner or just watch a show. The key here is being together.
4. Put an effort in to it Don’t think just because you’re doing the above 3 tasks that it is seen and felt. Remember that the more effort you put in to a gesture of love the more the recipient sees and feels it.
5. Be supportive Even when mistakes are made, let them know that you’re still there for them. Remember that we learn from their mistakes.
1 Corinthians 13:4-7 says
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, and it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, and always perseveres.
Be the change, take some time today to offer the gift of your love and kindness to someone, a family member, a friend, a co-worker, or stranger. Love is seen in the small thing we do and say every day, so let your actions be seen and the word be heard.
Remember to Keep Rolling On
