The Greeks had three words which could be translated to the English word “Love”.
The first one is Eros. This is the sort of love where the lover wishes to become one with the beloved. These days it is mostly associated with sexuality, but it could be anything as grand as being one with nature or as simple as eating something tasty. Eros is about consumption, but this is not what I intended to speak of in this work.
The second one is Phylia. A form of love rooted in friendship, partnership, harmony, and meaningful cooperation.
We experience philia with colleagues, business partners, and even with our significant other.
It is the quiet pull we feel toward shared interests and beloved hobbies. But philia is not the focus of this work either.
Finally, there is Agape. Agape is defined as the kind of love that converts a non-person into a person. Its classic metaphor is the love of a parent for their child: through this unconditional devotion, the child develops personhood.
Agape is the love that creates, that gives without asking, that seeks no reward, that forgives all sins.
It is the painter’s love for their artwork, the writer’s for their novel, the composer’s for their music.
It is the love of a god for their creation – and of a human being for their own unfolding growth through life.
This is the sort of love I would like to talk with you about.
