Types of Love on Valentine’s Day

Photo credits: Upper left: pikselstock. Lower left corner: Carlos David. Upper right: ChesterAlive91. Lower right: ChayTee.

As Valentine’s Day and the season of love erupts through the world, it’s important to understand that this period of admiration towards one another embodies different definitions; there is more than one type of “love” out there (in fact, the Greeks had about 6-7 defined variations) and that is a fact that is highly overlooked during this time.

Of course, this season for couples is a memorable one. There’s plenty of dinner reservations being booked, gifts being made, and time spent into making one another smile. However, for those who are single or recently out of a break-up, Valentine’s Day is a holiday that might spark some negative feelings. To negate these feelings, a new outlook on the holiday should be put in place – i.e. understanding that romantic love is not the only love that exists in this world, and Valentine’s Day doesn’t have to only revolve around that.

Utilizing Greek words and terminology, we can go over other basic forms of love. Starting with my favorite, Philia love, is basically platonic love and love between friends. Love can be a strong word here but having platonic feelings towards your friends can make friendships grow. Telling your friends, you love them (even on Valentine’s Day) can help translate such feelings and let them know how much they mean to you.

Storge love is a natural affection between family members. Family is what you make it, and since many queer youth and adults find themselves in chosen families, it’s crucial to know that storge love exists, and showing that love for your family can mean everything. Lastly, Philautia love is love for oneself, probably the most important type of love that can be. You can search this whole world looking for love but unless you look inward and start to love things about yourself, only then can you learn to receive love properly. Appreciating your own self-worth is a skill that takes time, but once you start that journey the results can last a lifetime. To read about other forms of love, you can read this article here.

Photo Credits: Wayhome Studio

As we navigate through the intricacies of love during this Valentine’s Day season, we should remember that love encompasses a multitude of forms beyond romantic affection and attraction. Embracing these diverse manifestations of love allows us to transcend the limitations of a single narrative and celebrate the richness of human connection. This Valentine’s Day, let us not only honor romantic love but also acknowledge the love that exists between friends, family, and to ourselves.

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