Have you ever thanked someone and they brushed it off? Have you ever thought someone's praise was inauthentic?
Has someone ever thanked you for work done in a way that hit the spot?
Imagine two kids - Jack and Jane. Jack grows up with two highly driven professional parents who hold corporate roles. He knows he is loved because whenever he mows the lawn, stacks the wood and rakes the leaves his dad stops for a short while and notices and comments. When he washes the dishes, sweeps the kitchen floor and clears the table his mum notices and stops briefly and thanks him and gives him a hug.
Jane also knows she is loved. Her family loves doing puzzles together, they have a sun lounge and sit and have chats over cups of coffee in the mornings, long lunches on weekends and bowls of soup in winter. They play games - darts, Monopoly and, Jane's favourite, chess.
As life has it, opposites attract and Jack marries Jane. He wants to show her how much he loves her. How do you think he does it? If you guessed mowing lawns, doing dishes, painting the house, fixing the car, etc - you would be right. Do you think that would make Jane feel loved?