Page 161 - The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love That Lasts

distance yourself from me emotionally. In our society
shaking hands is a way of communicating openness and
social closeness to another individual. When on rare
occasions one man refuses to shake hands with another, it
communicates a message that things are not right in their
relationship. All societies have some form of physical
touching as a means of social greeting. The average
American male may not feel comfortable with the European
bear hug and kiss, but in Europe that serves the same
function as our shaking hands.
There are appropriate and inappropriate ways to touch
members of the opposite sex in every society. The recent
attention to sexual harassment has highlighted the
inappropriate ways. Within marriage, however, what is
appropriate and inappropriate touching is determined by
the couple themselves, within certain broad guidelines.
Physical abuse is of course deemed inappropriate by
society, and social organizations have been formed to help
“the battered wife and the battered husband.” Clearly our
bodies are for touching, but not for abuse.

If your spouse’s primary love language is physical touch,
nothing is more important than holding her as she cries.

This age is characterized as the age of sexual
openness and freedom. With that freedom, we have