It's been my observation that people tend to express affection in a way that they most need it themselves.
Some people are very touch oriented, and express affection through touches and being close, others might give give praise and positive encouragement. There are, of course, a myriad of ways to express affection.
Observe how the people in your life express affection, if you can express it back in kind it might just make their day. 😄
@viciousviscosity If you aren't familiar with it, there's a book about this topic by Gary Chapman, called _The Five Love Languages_, which says that people express and experience love in five ways: gifts, quality time, words of affirmation, acts of service, and physical touch. Chapman says folk each have a primary and secondary love language.
(The book is Christian-focused and imperfect, but as its many folks' only reference in these topics, worth familiarizing yourself with.)
@viciousviscosity This can get a bit muddled if someone follows this advice, trying to show affection in ways that suit the preferences of their friends/partners. Then, their displayed affection no longer represents their own desires, but that of others (arguably a good thing).
But I do agree in general! Almost the inverse of of the "Golden Rule" - "Do unto others as you'd like done to yourself."
@digitalfox
Agreed, certainly not a "catch-all" bit of advice, those are far shorter and infinitely more global - but something I've found useful in my general day-to-day actions. 😃
@viciousviscosity
/glances at middle daughter, who's pelting her sister with oranges while shouting "I love you sissyyyyy"
..welp, OK then
/hefts orange