Love is in the air …
in the kindergarten classes,
in the stores,
and all over Amazon.
But what is love? Can it be created? Can it be purchased? Sold?
It’s Greek to me!
No, seriously. The Greeks, in their word wisdom, understood that love is too vast for just one meaning. So they gave it numerous sub titles.
There are four main, distinct words for love:
- Agape
- Eros
- Philia
- Storge
Storge can often be used interchangeably with affection. It is a love that is not a visual love, but is used often in familial relationships.
Philia is brotherly love, thus the origin of Philadelphia’s name, which is known as the city of brotherly love! It is a love for equals, friendship, caring.
Eros … the origin of the word erotic, is about the physical, intimate, sexual part of love.
Agape is selfless love. Love that is given, with no expectation that it will ever be reciprocated. Thomas Acquinas is said to have explained that agape love is “to will the good of another.”
Four definitions, four separate meanings, encapsulated by one, four-letter word
love
Today is known for it’s focus on love, yet love is not reserved for just one day, any more than love has only one meaning.
To celebrate love is to celebrate all that we love.
It is to celebrate those who we share affection for and with. The family members who give us life, and make life worth living.
It is the friends who we look at, eye to eye, heart to heart. The ones we laugh and cry with. The ones we call, email and text first when we are deliriously happy, or in the depths of despair.
It is the ones whose mind, soul and body seem like an appendage of our own. The ones who we reach for in the dark of night and the light of day.
It is the one, the only one, who created, defined and proved his love for us … yesterday, today and tomorrow.
Happy Valentines Day … every day.
itsawonderfilledlife 