Technology is great. Phones now have so many features that we use them for almost everything. For instance, do you have a separate alarm clock to wake you up? Is the newspaper delivered to your house? When was the last time you pulled out an actual flashlight to look for something? Phones are great, until they get a glitch, and it doesn’t work like it is supposed to. My phone directly links to my truck when I turn on the engine and whenever someone calls the caller ID pops up on my center console. Sometimes I will get a call and the phone number and name that is listed does not match. 

It happened to me again yesterday when I was driving and this time it was really weird. My wife’s name is Taleen. The caller ID said it was Haileen. I was on the phone with one of my mentors at the time and clicked over to speak with her. I told her I was talking with Mike and that I would call her back. The significance of this happening when Mike was on the other line is important. He has been married for over 40 years and been helping me grow as a husband. I know Taleen receives love through words of affirmation and when I saw the caller ID I thought of “Hail Taleen”. 

To hail someone is to cheer them on or encourage them. I admit that I am not the best at that and at times can be downright critical. As Mike and I continued our conversation he told me to just pick out one of her traits and compliment her each day. It can be something simple like how she helped get the boys ready for school in the morning, or making a big grocery run to stock the fridge. The important thing is to do it often, so it becomes a habit. Knowing how your wife receives love is important. Here are three ways to make your wife feel special.

Continue to Date Her

Remember back when you first met you wife? You were probably infatuated and wanted to spend as much time as possible with her. You did stuff that you never thought you would. Things like writing poetry, talking on the phone for hours, or going to the opera. You went on dates often and spent quality time with one another. After a while the luster wears off and things get busy with jobs, kids, and other responsibilities. You take her for granted. Making sure to set aside time to take her out on dates is important. It doesn’t have to be a fancy restaurant all the time. Take her to lunch or grab a coffee and go to the park. The fact you show the effort and give her your time is important to her.

Figure Out Her Love Language

We all give and receive love differently and it is important to find out how your spouse does. One way that I do is through physical touch. I like to hug and squeeze my wife. Since I receive love this way, I like to give it that way. Taleen receives love through words of affirmation and quality time. She would rather have me tell her how much I appreciate her or go out on a date versus getting the life squeezed out of her every time I see her. One way for you to find out is to take this love language quiz. There is also a great book written by Gary Chapman that is attached to this quiz titled The 5 Love Languages. Knowing how your wife receives love will help you communicate and love her better.

Random Acts of Kindness

Doing something that seems small but is significant to your wife is a great way to show her that you care. Open the car door for her, send a text midday that you miss her, or buy flowers once in a while (they only cost $10 at the grocery store). These things may seem small to you but could mean the world to her, especially if she is having a rough day. Making daily deposits in her love bank will make her feel special. Invest time and effort into your marriage and you will both reap the benefits.

Here are some more ways to make your wife feel special:

• Wash all the dishes after dinner and tell her to go relax on the couch.
• Go out on a drive together and play popular songs from back when you were dating.
• Write her a letter saying how much you appreciate her and hide it under her pillow.

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