What is Love?

Yvette Clark
Mr. Murphy
English 51
28 April 2009

What is Love?
What is love? Is it the subject of a Meg Ryan movie? Is it socks rolling up and down or is it two 80 year old people holding hands walking down the board walk? For many, love can mean different things. According to Professor Michael Smith love can be divided into four parts; Eros, Phileo, Storge and Agape.
The love that is portrayed in movies and romantic novels is Eros. Passion is the key word for Eros. Some people think of this as the ultimate love as they “fall in love” with someone but it actually is short lived. Eros love can make you float on a pink cloud but when reality sets in your either left with your heart broken or a love that transfers to a higher level of love. Many times as teenagers we experience a love which takes our breath away, who makes our heart beat fast and gives us butterflies in our stomach that is Eros love.
Phileo love is defined as the love between friends. It is the love that must follow Eros if two people are to stay together. With Phileo Love, love works. It is life’s most powerful motivation and has far greater depth and meaning than most people realize (Kendrick & Kendrick). With Phileo you have affection for, consider someone a friend. In a good marriage this love occurs between a husband and wife. They are truly bonded at this point.
The love of family is Storge. Loving ones children, parents and siblings define this type of love. When a mother holds her newborn for the first time her heart fills with the love Storge. It is a brother who protects his sister and a father standing proudly watching his son change a tire for the first time. Storge is a naturally occurring love; to love someone simply because of who they are.
They greatest of all loves, a love most people never achieve is Agape love. Agape love is unconditional love. Love that suffers long and is kind. Bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things (1 Corinthians 4, 7&8). A love that never fails. Most humans do not reach this stage of love because it involves loving all people, good or evil. Loving good people is easy but loving all people, is all but impossible for most individuals. Agape love is a deliberate choice because of what it does and not how it feels. Agape love is related to obedience and commitment, loving someone seeking his or her long term blessing or success (Truth or Tradition).
In conclusion, love can be many things to many different people. Whether Eros a romantic love, Phileo the friendship love, Storge an affectionate love or Agape known as divine, altruistic love one thing is for sure love is the strongest word in any language.