Is romantic love the best and only love we can experience? In order to answer this question, one must understand the different types of love. Greek language breaks love into four parts: storge, philia, eros, and agape. Here we will discuss the first two types of love.
The first type of love (storge) is associated with affection similar to the love a parent has for his/her child, or the love expressed between various family members. Storge love is thought of as a natural type of love which occurs without much effort. When many think of different family members such as father, mother, sister, brother, aunt, uncle, cousin, niece, or nephew, a natural wam feeling fills them. Why do we have these feelings for different family members? Many would answer that they are family, and when we do not have anything else, we have family. This is a natural response to the question, but it does not provide the answer needed. The mother and father lye at the heart of the family structure, and together they concieve children. The storge love bond between parent and child is created because of human beings love for life. This is the most precious human possession, and it creates the strong bond between parent and child. The strength of the love changes as the size of the family expands, but the love for family remains consistant because of our love for life.
What type of feeling does philia love bring over someone? Since philia love is associated with family, the feeling felt is similar to storge. The difference comes from philia also being affiliated with enjoying an activity or friendship. This allows love to touch non living things like music, exercise, or learning. How does philia love make you feel when you are enjoying the activity you love most? Does time seem to speed up while enjoying these activities? Does philia love feel stronger than storge love? Storge and philia love feel similar like our feelings for friends, family, and enjoyable activities. Philia love is only slightly different because it includes friends and enjoyable activities. Otherwise, these two types of love are the same.
Pay attention to how you feel when you experience these two slightly different types of love, and see if you are able to draw a clear line between them.
Love is that condition in which happiness of another person is essential to your own. -Robert A. Heinlein
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