The kaleidoscope of love
The shape-shifting nature of love
The ancient Greeks had seven words1 for love: Eros, Philia, Erotopia or Ludus, Storge, Philautia, Pragma, and Agápe. They encompass the many types of love, and they all have very different meanings for defining what love is.
The Triangular Theory of Love, attributed to Sternberg2, explains that love is based on three components: intimacy, passion and commitment. And that the different stages and types of love can be explained as different combinations of these three elements.
These are just two of the many theories attributed to explaining and identifying love, but personally, I don’t feel like love can be that easily defined. As love is something that is endless, that can’t always be easily quantified.
Our propensity to love expands and contracts throughout our lifetime, as well as our relationship to it.
Love can be joyful, painful, heart-breaking and heart stopping.
Love binds people together and tears them apart.
Love is complicated, simple, messy and divine.
Love is pure, hopeful and soul defining.
Love can destroy you, love can complete you, and love can remind you of who you truly are.
Love can be a drop in the ocean, or it can be the entire ocean.
Love is light and shade, night and day.
Love can be frustrating, releasing and centring.
Love can be all the colours of the rainbow and sepia.
Love can be warm and inviting, cold and harsh.
Love can be reciprocated and unrequited.
Love can create a hole in your heart and restore it.
Love can be loud and quiet.
Love can be ugly and beautiful.
Love can be excruciating and soothing.
Love is shape-shifting and feels like the components in a kaleidoscope, constantly changing, creating new patterns, full of infinite possibilities.
The Language by Robert Creeley
What are your feelings towards love? How does it make you feel? What words would you use to describe it? I would love to know :)
This can range from 7-8 words for the different types of love.
Sternberg, R. J. (1986) A triangular theory of love