Defining Love

Firstly, how can we define love, or what-is-love?

Love is a sensation through the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual senses. When music is playing, it stimulates your ears and moves your soul. When watching fireworks at night, it hypnotizes your eyes and inspires your spirit. Honestly, what is the feeling you get when an attractive stranger gives you a pleasant smile unexpectedly? Defining what-is-love has been the work of various types of artists throughout time. We all know love when we feel it. We all want to be loved. There is no denying it. Yet, it is still a mystery in many ways. It is a huge subject to explore. It is compassionate, romantic, generous, heart-felt, funny and heals all things. It can be expressed in numerous ways. To define what-is-love is difficult because we are not well educated about it in school from first grade to the first two years in college, compared to Math, for example. It can be a controversial and sensitive subject. The definition of love is still in its infancy. Hopefully, there will eventually be a large community of loveologists (scientists who specialize in love) that can define what-is-love and are able to offer important contributions to our world society. For now, we have the contribution of the ancient Greeks who defined what-is-love as consisting of four types of love.

Types of Love
Exactly what is this thing called love? Since it is a very broad term, the ancient Greeks managed to define what-is-love and there are four types: agape, eros, philia and storge.

  • Agape is unconditional love with a deeper sense of "true love". Example: Giving others your precious resources for loving support without an expectation in return.
     
  • Eros is passionate love. It is mostly sexual but can also be passion for anything, such as car hobbies.
     
  • Philia is displaying love through loyalty to friends, family and community, usually by sharing resources and expecting something in return.
     
  • Storge is natural affection that is often felt by a person for related family members.
     

Agape is considered the purest form of love. You can love almost anyone with agape. You need to learn to love yourself first, then it is easier to give to others with true love.
Now, what-is-love that is true and meaningful?

What is True Love?

Is there such a thing as true love? Yes, there are many ways to display this type of love. Here are examples of what-is-love that are true and genuine:On your spare time, tutor students who have learning disabilities.

Serve food at a shelter and appreciate that these people have something to eat.

Make fun art and play sports with kids.

Share thoughts on what-is-love with someone.

Offer your friend to do pet sitting for no cost.

Buy food at a bake sale or kids' lemonade stand.

Donate the goods that are collecting dust in your closet, garage and attic.

Break the ice with a stranger.

Take someone to a spot with a breathtaking view.

To make things better in life is to always express our love to ourselves and to others, not just by saying words such as "I love you", but by showing your heart through actions. "Actions speak louder than words". Actions affect feelings, so simply waving a hand with a genuine smile affects one's feeling. Focus on the good things and minimize your energy on the bad things is part of the true-good-love process. Deeply appreciating another's goodness can be easily experienced once love is better understood. Here are some benefits of what-is-love that are true and expressive:

You become more capable of embracing differences and discovering new things about people.

The more loving you are, the less need you have to meet the right person.

Being skilled at true love at many levels helps you figure out problems and issues in life and helps people understand each other better.