The Greeks Language Has Four Words For Love
Lucky to have so much love in my life. Past, present, and looking forward to future love too.
The love of familiarity (Greek: storge) exists as an affection we have for family, natural connection, and contact through chance. I’m bonded to my family by our generous desire to be giving, our hope to keep each other safe, and our trust in each other’s independence. I’m especially lucky to have a family that is loving, honest, considerate, and kind without condition.
Intimate love (eros) embodies the accepting of each other’s true beauty and honest existence. In the vulnerability of romantic love, we gain an understanding of each other as individuals. With all of the emotions revealed through intimacy, I’m glad to love the bold hearts whose paths crossed mine. You taught me so much and today let’s celebrate our reckless courage.
Regard among equals (philia) manifests as the loyalty of friendship, virtue in companionship, and care among those with shared values and interests. Incredible to experience quality time and kind words my longtime friends who have been there for many years and new friends who share the details of their hearts and minds. All of your compassionate honesty, beloved consideration, and undying respect continues to help me get my shit together.
Goodwill (agape) is charitable love independent of circumstance. This is a spiritual generosity that allows us to care for strangers, treat our enemies kindly, and engage in an audacious hope for those who we have no connection. For all of the struggles of society and the world, I’m grateful for all of our human efforts which have kept us together. Our ancestors who built the world around us imperfectly and as best as they could. To strangers who do their daily work that gives us electricity, housing, food, and shelter to create our lives. Too often we give them no thought even though we rely on their existence. Thankful to all of those who it took to manufacture our cellphones that let us hear each other’s voices. Care for who keep my car running with parts from around the world.
The world however flawed does it’s best to be beautiful.
Happy Valentine’s Day ❤
