A Generous Way of Loving a Person
A Generous Way of Loving a Person
There are different ways to love someone, and in my life there were moments where, because of the way I was loved, I felt saved. In all my friendships I feel loved, but it's this specific way that has left an impact on me: being loved generously.
12 ways to love someone generously:
Explaining to them, even when you don't have to.
Grossly celebrating their wins! Especially the small ones that they might often overlook.
Never "I told you so"-ing them. Even if you did until you went blue in the face.
Remembering and following up.
Always giving them the option to not share, and not punishing them for it.
Holding space for your conversations, literally and figuratively. Not rushing the conversations, even when you are rushed. Facing them heart and body, and reading the words between the lines: in their eyes, the way their shoulders are set, their tone.
Complimenting them in ways they don't often get complimented.
Noticing their hard work and effort and voicing it to them.
Telling them how wonderful they are out of the blue. Not because they did something to deserve it.
Laughing hard at their jokes.
Sending them things that remind you of them throughout the day, if nothing else just to let them know there's someone who thinks of them often.
Allowing them to exaggerate their pain and their triumphs.
Being a good friend is really important to me, and upon reflecting on how one of my friends really made me feel so loved and seen, I want to do the same back not just to her, but to all my relationships. It’s quite fascinating how impacting someone in this way breeds more love and more love into the world.
