It's the eve of Valentine’s Day and I have love on my
mind. The Greeks had at least four different words for love. Storge was the
word they used for a natural affection, like the kind of love parents should have
for their children. It could also refer to a simple acceptance, the way you
might feel about a tyrant you can’t escape. (That’s exactly how I’d describe my
children in their teens and the terrible twos.) Philia describes brotherly love
such as the loyalty you may feel towards your friends. Eros is romantic love, passionate
and emotional. Agape describes pure, unconditional love; love that gives
without the hope or expectation of anything in return. I find all this
interesting, if not exactly useful. I can sum up everything I know about love
in one sentence: Love is born from acts of service; not the service you receive, but the service you give.
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