Image Up Advertising & Design

SOLERA DIAMOND VALLEY | FEBRUARY 2026 5 By Annette Hillis, Resident With February being the proverbial month of love, it seemed appropriate to take a look back at the now 30-year-old, somewhat contested, book by Dr. Gary Chapman, Ph.D., entitled e 5 Love Languages: e Secret to Love at Lasts. In the book, he describes five unique styles of communicating love, categories he distilled from his experience in marriage counseling and linguistics. The five languages describe diverse ways of expressing and receiving love: words of affirmation, quality time, receiving gifts, acts of service, and physical touch. Although we may relate to several of these ways of showing affection, each of us, according to the theory, has one that speaks to us the most. It is the one we crave from our significant other. For example, if a person's Love Language is acts of service, having someone mow their lawn, wash their car, or prepare a delicious dinner for them would indeed make their heart sing. Of course, the way our Love Language plays out in the year 2026 may look a little differently than it did in our youth. At our age, we've seen a thing or two, been around the block, and our personal tastes, needs, and desires have evolved or changed entirely. Our lives today revolve around long marriages, second romances, widowhood, adult children, grandkids, caregivers, and lasting friendships. Whereas in our 20s, a verbal affirmation of "you're gorgeous" might have made our day, in our 70s it's more like "the doctor says my numbers look great" that really lifts our mood. Quality time now is choosing coffee with a friend over another afternoon of background cable news. These days, when the Amazon driver arrives at our door with a set of working hearing aids that we so desperately needed, receiving gifts never felt any better. Acts of service can look differently, as well. As a senior, having my partner pick up my prescriptions, reset the remote, or change the Ring battery goes a long way to show a caring connection. And when it comes to physical touch, well, we sometimes need to be careful. Having our hearts skip a beat or experiencing fireworks may or may not be in our best interest. Currently, perhaps our tactile encounters are closer to a soulful look and a warm hand squeeze that says, "I'm still here, and so are you." After being around the same partner or friends for multiple decades, speaking the same Love Language may be as fundamental as when they remember where the car is parked. That kind of love goes a long way. And as the years go by, we learn that love may not be about being with someone who always gets it right when it comes to affection. For us, it can simply be more about surrounding ourselves with people who appreciate our age- related eccentricities. People who don't mind, for example, that we've told the same amusing story three times that week – and they still laugh every time. Talk about a match made in heaven. The 5 Love Languages – Senior Edition By Georgeann Wellfare, Resident 2026 is another year for us to gather! At Veterans & Friends Club we believe good food brings people together, fun keeps them coming back and giving lifts those who volunteer. Every meal shared helps build community, every laugh fuel connection, and every dollar supports veterans and those in need where it matters most. So come hungry, bring family and friends and leave knowing you made a difference in 2026. We're serving more than food, we're serving friendship, gratitude and heart! Your Veterans & Friends Club Board of Directors is working hard to bring exciting fundraising events in 2026. To begin, keep an eye out for information forthcoming about Polly's Pies in February. Polly's donates a percentage of each tab to our fundraising efforts. Also, mark your calendars for Saturday, March 7, for a repeat of our successful Ranch BBQ fundraiser. Remember the smoked pulled pork, Cornish game hens, the saloon, the jail, the photo booth?! Great food and more surprises to come this year! Keep your eyes and ears open for our events in e View, on Facebook, in an SDV Blast and in the Lodge Lobby. Thank you for your continued support! Veterans & Friends

• Cover