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Universally love has been unconditional and eternal truth over the history of mankind. It makes the world go around with its different sides. It has two faces: hurt and healing, agony and passion, strength and vulnerability with slavery and freedom. It is not just explained with genes, hormones and pupil dilations.
Ancient Greek recognizes and distinguishes different use of the word love. Usually agape (ἀγάπη) refers to what we think nowadays when we say “I love you”. It’s ideal, but not always physical emotion. Eros (ἔρως) is the more physical side of love with more sensual desire, longing and passion to other person or beauty.
Love can also occur as storge (στοργή), which is natural affection and care taking like parental love. Then again philoxenia (φιλοξενία) is Greeks world famous hospitality and sense of love to any human being, that can be repaid with nothing but gratitude of the guest.
Most interesting is philia (φιλία), the love of the mind. It means loyalty to friends, family and community, where one or both parties benefit from a virtue of the relationship. According to Modern Greek the word bisexual (Αμφιφυλόφιλος) means thereby “attracted to both genders”.
Okay, but where and what is love then? Love can be between two or more individuals and the depth of it is immeasurable. It is a journey inviting you to jump over the cliff or to see the first blossoming crocuses and snowdrops on the spring. It will stretch your heart and make it bigger while nothing takes the pain of shivering and wounded soul away better than a fraction of love. It is remarkable, magnificent, indispensable and beyond belief kind of experience.
Only loved person understands the bond of agape, eros, storge, philoxenia and philia. It requires a lot of courage and acceptance to share them to everyone to hold. We are all the same when it comes to basic needs in life. The need for love lies at the foundation of our existence even we love both genders or not.
Ancient Greek recognizes and distinguishes different use of the word love. Usually agape (ἀγάπη) refers to what we think nowadays when we say “I love you”. It’s ideal, but not always physical emotion. Eros (ἔρως) is the more physical side of love with more sensual desire, longing and passion to other person or beauty.
Love can also occur as storge (στοργή), which is natural affection and care taking like parental love. Then again philoxenia (φιλοξενία) is Greeks world famous hospitality and sense of love to any human being, that can be repaid with nothing but gratitude of the guest.
Okay, but where and what is love then? Love can be between two or more individuals and the depth of it is immeasurable. It is a journey inviting you to jump over the cliff or to see the first blossoming crocuses and snowdrops on the spring. It will stretch your heart and make it bigger while nothing takes the pain of shivering and wounded soul away better than a fraction of love. It is remarkable, magnificent, indispensable and beyond belief kind of experience.
Only loved person understands the bond of agape, eros, storge, philoxenia and philia. It requires a lot of courage and acceptance to share them to everyone to hold. We are all the same when it comes to basic needs in life. The need for love lies at the foundation of our existence even we love both genders or not.
