All about love 💖

Let me start this post with a quote -

'Tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.'

What is love? ❣

Google says it is - an intense feeling of deep affection.

❤Love is an abstract concept that comes and goes, whether you like it or not. It's whatever legislation or whatever philosophies people have put out about it. It exists without words or without philosophy or without discussion.

❤Love is something that only you can define. It does not have to be the same to those who you love. To enjoy it and to live it you must listen to your own soul.

❤Love is more of an understanding of the feeling and how you value it, how you treat it- which is how you treat yourself. It does not expect, it does not mean to you what it means to others. It can hurt like no other when you are disappointed- partner, sibling, friend, parent… The basic meaning of love is to feel more than liking towards someone.

❤But if know love yourself first, forgiveness and acceptance can be beautiful and you will never experience the same dismay, twice. Love is happy, honest, trusting, sacred, calming, exciting.. it’s the meaning of life.

What are the different types of love?

Agape — Unconditional Love

First, we have agape love. This is an altruistic, selfless, unconditional love. The Greeks thought it was quite radical, perhaps because so few people seem capable of feeling it long-term. Some people would describe agape as a type of spiritual love. For instance, Christians believe that Jesus exhibited this kind of love for all humans. He was selfless and sacrificed Himself so that others could be rid of their sins. He suffered for the happiness of others.

2. Eros — Romanic Love

Eros is named after the Greek god of love and fertility. Therefore, it is usually associated with romantic, passionate, and physical love. It is an expression of sexual passion and desire. The Greeks were actually quite fearful of this love, strangely enough. They thought that because human beings have an instinctual impulse to procreate, that this love was so powerful and it would result in a loss of control. Although the Greeks thought this kind of love was dangerous, it is still the kind of love that is associated with passionate, sexual love. Even in modern days, some people believe that this kind of love “burns hot and bright, but it burns out fast.”

3. Philia — Affectionate Love

The Greeks defined this kind of love as “affectionate love.” In other words, it is the kind of love that you feel for your friends. Ironically, the ancient Greeks thought this kind of love was better than eros (sexual love), because it represented love between people who considered themselves equals. While a lot of people associate the word “love” with romance, Plato always argued that physical attraction wasn’t necessary for love. Hence, why there are many different types of love. This type, in particular, is often referred to as “platonic” love – love without sexual acts.

4. Philautia — Self-love

Philautia is self-love. In our modern day society, most people associate self-love with being narcissistic, selfish, or stuck on themselves. However, this is not what the ancient Greeks meant by self-love. Self-love is not negative or unhealthy in any way. In fact, it’s necessary to be able to give and receive love from other people. We cannot give to others what we don’t have. And if we don’t love ourselves, how can we truly love others? Another way to look at self-love is by thinking about it as self-compassion. Just as you might show affection and love to another person, you must also show that same affection and love to yourself.

5. Storge — Familiar Love

Storge can be defined as “familiar love.” Although that’s a strange term, let me explain what it really means. This type of love looks and feels a lot like philia – affectionate love felt between friends. However, this love is more like a parent-child love. Family-love. Just like philia, there is not physical or sexual attraction. But there is a strong bond, kinship, and familiarity between people.

6. Pragma — Enduring Love

The ancient Greeks define pragma as “enduring love.” In other words, it’s almost the opposite of eros (sexual love). Eros tends to burn out quickly because of its passion and intensity. However, pragma is a love that has matured and developed over a long period of time. The kind of old married couples who have been together since their teenage years and still hold hands, well, that’s a great example of pragma. Unfortunately, this kind of love is somewhat rare to find – especially in society today. These days, people seem to think the grass is always greener on the other side. And therefore, they don’t have the patience or desire to watch love grow over time. This type of love doesn't require a lot of effort in a relationship. Both people are good at make compromises, and each of them puts in equal efforts to make the other person happy.

7. Ludus — Playful Love

Ludus is known as the “playful love.” However, a better way to describe it is the feeling of infatuation in the early days of romance. If you’ve been in love before, you know what I’m talking about. It’s the butterflies in your stomach, the giddiness you feel when you see your love walk through the door, and the feeling of never wanting to be without them. Studies show that when people are experiencing this type of love, their brain is acting much like it does if it was on cocaine. In other words, your brain is lit up and active just like someone who is literally high on a drug. It makes you feel alive and excited about life.

8. Materialistic love

It is the love you have for material things, something close to your heart. Like a specific, object, maybe a teddy bear, a ball, a keychain, a watch, a perfume, a pillow, a blanket.. Or it can even be love for music, or love for a specific food, or a smell.. etc,.

9. Patriotic love/ Patriotism

Patriotism or national pride is the feeling of love, devotion, and sense of attachment to a homeland and alliance with other citizens who share the same sentiment. This attachment can be a combination of many different feelings relating to one's own homeland, including ethnic, cultural, political or historical aspects.

10. Spiritual love

Spiritual love can refer to a love rooted in a spiritual connection that helps us find meaning and purpose in our lives. These spiritual loves can serve different purposes: some are meant to walk with us through life, while others are meant to teach us lessons.

Types of love languages ~

They are five types of them! Here they are -

1. Words of Affirmation

Some people want to hear “I love you” or other positive compliments from their partner. And if they don’t hear it, then they might feel unloved.

2. Acts of Service

Doing nice things for other people is called an “act of service.” Whether it’s changing someone’s oil, cleaning the house, or giving a back rub, doing things to help make the other person happy is what this one is about.

3. Receiving Gifts

Some people value giving and receiving gifts, and some do not. So, if you measure your partner’s love by how many gifts you are given, then your love language is “receiving gifts.”

4. Quality Time

Other people measure the quality of their love by how much time their significant other wants to spend with them. If they don’t get enough “together time,” then they might feel unloved.

5. Physical Touch

Finally, some individuals associate love with physical touch. Anything from hand-holding to cuddling, and even sex count as “physical touch.”

Why Do Love Languages Matter?

❤The point of learning the love languages is to identify both the way you give and want to receive love from your partner. If you both have very different love languages, it can cause problems in your relationship. For example, let’s say that you give love by saying “I love you” all the time, but you want to receive gifts in order to feel loved. But your partner shows his/her love with acts of service, and he/she wants to feel it with quality time. See the problem? They don’t match up. All you need to do is discuss it with your partner. Once you understand how you both want to give and receive, then it’s not so difficult.❤

Importance of love ~

❤Love is another form of dedication, passion and consistent performance. The best technique to evaluate happiness is to understand the value of a situation and act upon it wisely. We can say that happiness is indirectly proportional to love. Happiness is not something we can buy, it has to be created. Love is not a relationship between nations. It is a condition of mind brought about by serenity of soul. Love is not merely the absence of war. It is also a state of peace. Lasting love can come only to lovely people. ❤

❤Love is powerful, as strong as medication in its effect on the human brain. Love stimulates the brain in exactly the same way as powerful painkillers or drugs like cocaine. But there is a lot of interesting interrelationship between the feelings of love and the feelings of pain. This is because love and cocaine target the same ‘feel-good’ chemical in the brain called dopamine and this is also highly influential in the management of pain. So love really does hurt! ❤

❤Love and the need to be loved is a very basic and primal human instinct. Add to this the evolutionary wiring which insists that we look for a mate in order to multiply and survive and you have something deeply elemental, hard-wired into the human psyche.❤

❤ The strongest instinct in man is said to be to survive, closely followed by a drive to protect those he cares about. Survival, especially in the young or helpless, is usually based on the ability to form a protective bond with another, commonly a parent. That desire to shield and protect and for the young to seek it remains present in humans through into adult life where even the middle-aged will still seek comfort and moral support form a parent in times of crisis.❤

❤Love remains critically important throughout human existence but it changes from those early, heady days of passion and almost drug-induced intensity to something more enduring and long-lasting.❤

❤Love is powerful because it transforms and evolves throughout the course of relationships and the journey of human life. Early passionate love cannot last at that frenetic level of desire and intensity. ❤

❤Listing the number of reasons why love is so important and powerful to human life, is probably just as challenging as trying to define love in its entirety. Almost anyone you ask will have a different opinion and create a unique list and yet everyone’s list will be correct and valid because, in truth, the reasons why love is so important and powerful to human life are almost too numerous to mention. ❤ Love is life.

Here are a few ice breakers for all :-

~What is love for all of you?

~What does it make you feel?

~Who makes you feel loved and valued?

Sorry for the really long post, I just wanted to have a positive discussion about love here! I hope you liked it. I am sorry it's long. I hope it is positive and gives some knowledge about love. Tagging a few -

@bookworm274 @Mishi3015 @kieran000 @trustworthysoul @Aimee198 @cuteOrange213 @sunshinesuhani @blissart @optimisticMagic0014 @Dino12 @enchantedlove @BrightHeart116 @emmaishereforyou88 @Mango3 @Mel @Youarelovelyy @StargirlTina @MyNameIsNicole @Divyanshthekid @Listeningsarinn @FlickerLight8449 @DreamTouch @kateaala @Azalea98 @SuryanshSingh @Starmedia @ashlyntheordinary @Ethank @CateGrace @Cambion @JulieJuliaXX @KimmKimm @Cambion @Fireskye13 @Flaurie @hannah122003 @TheLonerWolfy @Joe33 @Roxine @hopeoverfear @SrijanSinha @Jv3076 @galaxyGirl299 @Nyx2026 @EmptyAquarium @CheekyKaka @luvinader @unassumingTree5669, @xelimious @Listeningsarinn @sugacubeeee @hopebeyondpain @CheeryMango @shiningSky3745 @Armelle12 @lokai21sakurai @Ines @LizzieR0717 @ScoobyDoobyDoooo @AomiSherizaki1134 @Basorexiaaa @youarenotalone00

Take care all and stay safe ! You are always welcome to get support 💕 *hugs*