RD&T’s contributing writer, Linda Bloom, shares insights about supportive relationships that build on the five love languages; Love Languages Plus.

I would like to honor Gary Chapman for his wonderful book The 5 Love Languages. He does an elegant job of describing five common ways that people like to have love shown: words of affirmation, acts of service, touch, gifts, and the way you spend leisure time together. Knowing each other’s love languages, and asking to have love shown the way we truly desire, is a royal road to happiness. Declaring our desire is likely to encourage receiving love in a way that is nourishing. When we are aware of our partner’s style, we can consistently surprise them with the delights that make a relationship sweet. The longings that people have for how they want love shown go beyond these five styles, however.