Different Kinds of Love

by Heather Long | More from this Blogger

There are many different kinds of love. In yesterday's Defining Real Love, I discussed the fact that love wants to give. But there are many types of love, the one we most often associate with marriage is passionate love. But there are other types of love that are included in the love we feel for our spouses, our families and our friends.

Phileo is the Greek name for love that describes friendship and the bonds that are strengthened by shared experiences. Whereas Eros is the Greek name for love that is sensual and stimulates the senses. The third type, Agape is the Greek name for the pure form of love that is unconditional and may be expressed in the filial or familial sense.

These different kinds of love surround us. The Phileo is the love we have for our friends, both old and new. The Eros is the love we feel for our mates. The Agape is the love we feel for our families, particularly our children. Yet the love we strive to have within our marriage is not limited to any of these three types but rather encompasses all three.

Real love is a choice. It's an act that we participate in. Because love is a choice, love is how we are capable of forgiveness. It is how we make the conscious decision between lashing out or verbally attacking someone we care for when they do something we perceive as injurious to us.

Ultimately, we should have love for everyone. This is what most religions teach us. We should love our neighbor. We should have agape in our hearts for all in the world whether we consider them friend or foe. When we have agape, we are capable of forgiving others for trespassing and we are able to forgive ourselves for our own transgressions.

Learn more about Heather Long

Heather Long is 35 years old and currently lives in Wylie, Texas. She has been a freelance writer for six years. Her husband and she met while working together at America Online over ten years ago.

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