What is this thing called Love

Yes, it is an old song written by Cole Porter in 1929 but he just posed the question, not the answer.

Never in my lifetime has anyone ever sat me down and explained just what love really is. An old farmer once told me: “love is a funny little thing, shaped like a lizard that runs around your heart and snaps at your gizzard.” The dictionary definition gives the word such a wide range of attributes that I’m no longer sure of its meaning. 

One definition of love is as  emotion of strong affection and personal attachment. Strong affection and personal attachment sounds a bit scary to me. In  the philosophical context, love is a virtue representing all of human kindness, compassion and affection. That sounds really good but I know a few human’s that kindness, compassion and affection is not in their nature. In a religious context, love is not just a virtue, but the basis for all being, (God is love), and the foundation for all divine law (the Golden Rule). Taking all that into consideration, then it would seem that love can be anything from I love chocolate cake to a strong, religious devotion to God.

The ancient Greeks decided they needed  five words for love. Agape is translated as affection of a deeper sense i.e. true love, and is the word used in chapter 13 of the Book of Corinthians, “the love chapter.” Eros is passionate love as associated with feelings of a sensual nature between a man and a woman. The Greek word Platonic is used to indicate a strong love between friends of a non-sensual nature. Philos is used to express love between friends and family. Storge, a not often used word describes love as between parents and offspring. As I understand it, Philos is probably the most preferred word used in family life.

Love, the one word in the English language used to describe every emotion that gives us any kind of pleasant feeling about almost anything from chocolate cake to the pretty girl we see walking down the street. The most miss-used word in the English language. We have been bombarded with love songs, romantic movies and television programs and provocative television commercials for years. Is it any wonder that children “fall in love” in Junior High School, I know I did. Or at least I thought I did…several times. Lucky for me I grew up. Love is a much too meaningful a word to be bandied about without serious consideration. We need to learn the difference between love and our hormonal which drive our carnal desires.

My advice to all those young kids out there who think they’re in love. “It’s just your hormones…you’ll get over it.”