Love language #1: Words of affirmation

Those of us whose love language is words of affirmation prize verbal connection. They want to hear you say precisely what you appreciate or admire about them. For example: "I loved it when you made dinner last night": and "Wow, it was so nice of you to organize that neighborhood bonfire"; or just "I love you."

For the people in your life that you're not seeing in person because of the pandemic, you could film a short video to send them. My kindergarten-aged goddaughter and I haven't been together in 7+ months, but we text each other silly videos of us saying - or even singing - what we miss not about each other.

And for the people you are seeing all of the time these days, remember that even making tiny gestures matters. This is my primary love language, and my husband of 29 years knows it. I'll often wake up and go into the kitchen to find a sweet post-it note next to a glass of ice water on the counter (which is another love language - an act of service).

Love language #2: Acts of service

Some of us feel most loved when others lend a helping hand or do something kind for us. A friend of mine is currently going through chemotherapy and radiation, putting her at high risk for COVID-19 and other infections. Knowing that her love language is an act of service, a group of neighbor friends snuck over under the cover of darkness in December and filled her flower pots in front of her house with holiday flowers and sprigs. Others have committed to shoveling her driveway all winter. (It's Minnesota, so that's big love). In your home, you could be proactive and do something that eases your person's daily grind. Why not take on the chore that everyone avoids doing, whether that's cleaning the oven, changing the litter box, scraping ice off the car, or filling and running the dishwasher? For anyone whose love tank is filled up by people pitching in, seeing someone intentionally scanning the environment to figure out what they can do to make their environment better sends a clear and loving message to them.

Love language #3: Gifts

Those of us whose love language is gifts aren't necessarily materialistic. Instead, their tanks are filled when someone presents them with a specific thing, tangible or intangible, that helps them feel special. Yes, truly, it's the thought that counts.

When you're out grabbing groceries for your family, pick up your roommate's favorite kombucha or seltzer and drop it by their door. Our daughter - whose love language is gifts - is a junior in college and we know she'll adore what's in the box soon to arrive in the mail: a small package covered in valentine stickers and containing her favorite chocolates, gift cards for coffee and a framed picture of our family dogs, Fred and George. It's an act of love that will fill her mailbox and her emotional bank account.