We're rather limited, I feel, with only one word for 'love' in the English language. The Ancient Greeks had four separate words to choose from! With today being Valentine's Day, I thought a brief look at these four words may prove helpful to someone:
Agape refers to brotherly love, to the unconditional, sacrificial love that is developed in family life, e.g., love for your children, or your spouse. It's the form used throughout the New Testament, which of course includes the "love chapter", 1 Corinthians 13.
Eros refers to passionate love, to desire or longing, or intimate and physical love.
Philia means friendship in modern Greek. The ancient Greek word refers to loyalty to close friends or to a community, to an enjoyment of an activity. It's this version that we refer to when we talk of someone being a 'bibliophile', a lover of books.
Storge refers to a general affection, like the instant bond between parent and child, or between friends. It is sometimes used to convey a feeling that you are merely 'putting up with' a situation.
What different types of love will you see today?
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