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Eros: used to denote the romantic, passionate love that we are used to seeing between partners. It is this type of love that is highlighted around Valentine’s Day. Eros was the ancient Greek god who was associated with passion and desire. As we grow older and seek long term commitment, eros may take second or third place to other kinds of love.
Ludus: This word is associated more with flirtation and casual infatuation with a potential partner. This type of love is meant to be fun and playful. teenage love, crushes.
Philia: This type of love represents intimacy and friendship. Unlike eros, which is usually shared by romantic partners, philia can be shared by close friends. In fact, philia can often lead to long, enduring friendships that last well into older age.
Storge: This is the love that happens between family members. It is based on kinship and deeply rooted bonds. This is also the word to describe loving someone who may not consciously be able to love back at this time. For instance, storge is the love that a mother has for her baby before the child is aware enough to understand love. Conversely, storge can also be used to describe a loved one has for a parent or a partner with Alzheimer’s or dementia.
Philautia: While self-care seems like a modern concept, the ancient Greeks were well aware of its importance. In fact, it was so important, that they had an entire word that was devoted to describing the love and care for one’s self. If you’re a caregiver, self-care is extremely important not only for your own well-being but also for the well-being of those under your care.
Pragma: This is a committed, compassionate love that often grows as two partners continue to cherish and care for each other. This type of love is associated with being together for a long time. In some cases, the passion of eros can grow into pragma over time, this forging a lasting bond.
Agápe: This a universal love that can extend to others, not within your family or friends’ group. This may be a love of animals, the desire to help strangers, or even devotion to spiritual beliefs. This may also describe the care and devotion of healthcare professionals to their patients.
Caring for a senior loved one is often rooted in storge. However, if you’re caring for a partner who requires extra help, your feelings may be rooted in pragma. Whatever the case, you should also be thinking about philautia, as you’ll need to take care of yourself as well.
- Do we really need titles to understand one another? -
“Omg you are amazing!”
“Thanks, you are a pretty fine one yourself! So I was thinking, Alise is totally gonna make this blow up and then return as a Hero.”
“Yes! and they are gonna marry the prince! he is so smitten with them!”
“Why? Hero is already a noble title, they don’t need Prince consort too? beside they don’t like having people take orders from them.”
“But they are in loveee”
“So?”
“He loves them, they love him, they should be together”
“...” “And?”
“Wouldn’t you do everything for your love? the other part of your soul?”
“I just don’t understand why they have to end up together, they are a Hero, they have a castle, why do they need the Prince too? they look incompatible to me”
“Because he loves them!”
“That’s pretty selfish”
“Love is not selfish”
“I still don’t get it”
“Don’t you want someone you can share everything with? That understands you on an innate level?”
“I guess… but like, isn’t that what friends are? best friend even.”
“Of course not silly!”
“I am lost, what’s the difference?”
“You were together with Hyla for some time weren’t you? why?”
“yes, I liked her she liked me, we liked the same things and she was engaging to talk to, we had the most wonderful interactions”
“She fell in love with you during that time”
“She said as much, but I didn’t feel anything change... I was really happy with her”
“Why did you two break up?”
“She said I didn’t love her like she did, I wanted to make her happy and I liked seeing her happy, I didn’t understand but she wanted to break up, she was unhappy so you know I agreed”
“Were you sad?”
“Yes, for a bit, she didn’t want to talk to me, said it hurt her, I wanted to talk to her again”
“What was the difference before and after you were dating?”
“Ehm… we cuddled more… we saw each other more often and we were more intimate in touches, I really liked the cuddles and the kisses, we did many things together”
“But did you feel anything different from when you were just friends and not dating?”
“I don’t think so? I sure liked interacting with her more often. She was one of my favorite people…”
“that’s premium friend subscription and that’s not what being in love is like by the way”
“It’a not?”
“No, what you are describing is… is… it’s like friendships with extra steps!”
“What’s so bad about that??”
“It’s not romantic love”
“What is this romantic love then?”
“Can you see yourself going about life alone? With no partner like Hyla?”
“Yes.”
“That’s heartless”
“... cold hearted, but go on”
“You’d be fine living without a Husband or a Wife or a Lover?”
“Pretty much… and honestly I was always uncomfortable when Hyla said she loved me… it was like she knew something I didn't”
“Hey… did you love Hyla the same as you do me?”
“I think i like you more than i liked Hyla before she asked me to date”
“So if I started asking you to meet more often and hugged more often, which honestly I don’t think it’s possible because you are like a premium hugger, you wouldn’t feel anything different than what you did with Hyla?”
“We were also intimate, you know?”
“For the sake of the argument let’s say we are also friends with benefits, would it be any different"?
“I don’t think so.”
“But we’d still be friends”
“Yes.”
“That’s weird”
“Thanks!”
“... why didn't your ‘thanks’ sound sarcastic?”
“Cause it wasn’t”
“Hah, ok so, you know Romeo and Juliette- no bad example… ehm… No we can work with that, so, those two”
“Yes, never understood why they did any of that, fantastic writing”
“Which of the two would you like to be if the other was, for example Hyla when you two were together”
“Mercutio”
“... Romeo’s friend?
“Him”
“I said Romeo or Juliette”
“Neither is appealing to me, the way they acted gave me the ick”
“Let’s say you were Juliette and Romeo did what he did like normal”
“ehhh, ick, he was literally her family’s sworn enemy”
“But he swears that it doesn’t matter and that his love is so great it overshadows the rivalry”
“I don’t buy it”
“Huh…”
“Are we done? Maybe love is just not for me, if getting having to be in love with someone was the only way to get cuddles, hugs and affection in general I would probably play the game”
“One more, please, for my curiosity”
“Ok, only cause it's you”
“Arranged marriage, transmigration style, the dude or damsel is not a bad person and let’s you do what you want but they aren't in love with you”
“Pretty good arrangement honestly”
“Ok, but they cheat on you”
“I would be offended we are together, I mean, jerk, that's it?"
"Yes, thanks"
"So what's the diagnosis boss man?"
"I still think Alise should marry the Prince"
"..."
"And run away together in the mountains"
"Now we are talking"