The meaning and difference between love and affection
Love is unique and affection is built towards love.
“I love everyone” and “I love most people” are totally different. First of all, you cannot “love” everyone. Love is unique in the sense that the person you love, in a romantic way, gives you the feeling of a tinkling in your heart every time you see it, a feeling that is not comparable to how others make you feel.
Caring people often mistake their fondness for people for “love.” Love is the result of affection, not the other way around. You may care for people and want to spend more time with them because you like their character. Eventually, it leads to “love,” the desire to keep that person close.
Many people confuse love with affection. They believe that they love someone when, in fact, they feel lonely and want company, so they choose the first person who makes them smile and say that they are in love.
When you care for someone, you want them to be with you because it is fun. When you love someone, you want to be around them even when they are in the worst possible mood. You care more about the other person’s well-being than your own when you love someone.
Love is a combination of physical, spiritual, and emotional connections. Affection may not be obvious at first glance, but love cannot be hidden.
1. Say good night and good morning every day
A simple habit that is missing a lot of relationships. This simple gesture of saying good morning and good night shows a lot of intimacy. It’s cold to wake up without saying anything to your partner and just get up and do your thing. Talking to your partner the first thing you wake up shows that you are happy that he is by your side.
2. Send text messages when you’re at work
That doesn’t mean “texting nonstop until you’re performing well at work.” You are going to be at work for 9 hours, you are going to have little breaks in between. It literally takes 20 seconds for simple text. Tell each other about your day at work and ask how the other person is doing.
When you are in a relationship, you should never stop responding to your partner because you are doing things. You will always be doing things. You are at work, then you go to lunch, then more work, then after work with your colleagues, then home. It is never advisable to disappear for 12 hours without a single text message and just get rid of everything that happened the next day.
Not responding for hours can be a dangerous sign in relationships. You can always say you’re at work, you’ll text later. Then re-text when you’re on breaks or after work. Never disappear without a text message. Assure your partner that you are responsible and care about their feelings.
3. Keep the other person informed about your whereabouts
Quite similar to the previous one. Do not promise to go on a spontaneous trip without telling your partner and only tell them when you are on the way or worse, when you return from the trip.
Depending on where you are in a relationship, most relationships are exclusive and that means there are responsibilities in your role. Your partner cares about you and it is worrying not to hear from you. Sharing where you are and what you are about to do is not sticky. On the contrary, show your love and affection, by wanting to give your partner a sense of security.
Interpreting sharing as losing your freedom is, frankly, stupid. Some people are reluctant to share their plans because they believe it is not a sign that they are losing autonomy in their own actions. This belief could not be further from the truth. The reason you keep your partner updated is to ease their mind, so they know that you are okay and they are just having fun. Taking responsibility is the best way to show affection and love for someone.
4. Give them your undivided attention
They are not just candy and rainbows when you are in a relationship. You can’t choose to be there when it’s sunny and leave when it’s raining. Sometimes your partner is upset and wants your attention. Maybe you are tired, maybe you think that their complaints are not solid and ridiculous. Either way, it obviously annoys her, and you should give her your full attention to listen to her problems.
Things will not always be easy. There will be times when you just don’t want to listen, but you will anyway because you care about someone. Actions speak louder than words, and this is how the other person will feel your love.
5. Look at them and smile
Things seem to be less valuable when you have them on a daily basis. You treasure less and less the quality time we spend together and when your girlfriend is talking you are looking at the newspaper with your bowl of cereal.
Look her in the eye and smile when she tells you about her day, make eye contact when she wants to talk to you about things. Not making eye contact can easily be mistaken for a sign of omission, that you are firing her.
6. Hugs and caresses
Stroke her hair or gently touch her cheeks when it’s movie night. Hug her every time she goes to work and comes back. Do not miss the opportunity to touch her gently and show her your love.
Physical contact is always a good gesture to show your love and affection. You let the other person know that they are wanted by stroking their hair and hugging them tightly. Physical affection is the easiest affection to show. Brings warmth and love.
7. Have a secret language
Have a secret language that only you and your partner would know. If you don’t like staying at a family gathering, you would get mad and start playing with your beard and she would pick up on that clue and suggest you leave, and vice versa. Having a secret language is a sign of love that only the two of you would know. Other people don’t need to know it exists, but you two surely do.
8. Do things without your partner asking
You know she’s on her period. Make him a cup of hot cocoa even if he’s not turning into a monster. Put the bed down and give her a warm bath when she gets home, make a meal when she’s in the shower. All these gestures are even more charming when she didn’t ask for them.
Show that you have it in your mind at all times. You care about her needs and you can anticipate what she needs and you will give it to her. That is the tremendous dedication and love that it takes for someone to go one step further. Your partner will feel the warmth and will appreciate it.
Summary
Men and women often interpret love and affection differently. Men tend to think that they have expressed their love in every possible way and women just think that they are showing something “a little more than affection.” Both genres are programmed to display emotions and feelings differently.
Whether you are a man or a woman, there are always some universal signs and things you can do to show how much you love someone. If you are struggling to figure out if you are in love in this relationship or just have good affection, this article also clears things up for you as you just need to look for the clues and see how willing you are or how happy you feel doing all of those things…
Love is a lesson for life, learn to show your love!
