Love is one of the most important parts of human life. The ancient Greeks had several words for different kinds of love. Thinking about them can help us notice the many forms love takes in our lives.
Philia: friendship
Philia describes the warm affection between friends. Aristotle wrote about friendship as one of life’s greatest goods. Some seasons are lonely, and that’s human too. Friendships can be built slowly.
Eros: romantic love
Eros describes passionate, romantic love. Plato wrote about how this love can draw us toward beauty and meaning.
Storge: family love
Storge describes the natural affection between family members, like the love between parents and children. It also includes the families we choose.
Agape: love for all
Agape describes a selfless, generous love for others, sometimes connected with love for humanity or the divine.
Love in everyday life
You don’t need to sort love into categories. Love can show up in small ways: making someone tea, listening, remembering a friend’s birthday.
Self-love
Many people also speak of loving yourself, treating yourself with the same care you’d offer others.
How little is enough
Today, show love in one small way: a message, a kind act or a moment of attention.
For more, read Gracefully receiving is just as important as giving.
When you’re ready to go a little deeper, the Guides page has a guided journal for walking through change at your own pace.