Motherhood is a thankless job but still one I would do over again, if I got the chance. When you are in the throes of child rearing, it feels endlessly tiring; but when it is behind you, you miss it.
This past Mother’s Day was a bust for me. I was sick and dozing on the couch as my grown children sent flowers of every kind. I got fresh flowers, framed flowers, and electronic flowers.
This got me thinking about love and how it changes over time. So, as I laid there, I Googled how many types of love there are, and this seemed to be the consensus from Physics Forums. There are six kinds of healthy love and if you throw in what could be considered unhealthy ones, you get eight:
- Agape – Selfless love, love for all
- Eros – Romantic or passionate love, named after the Greek god of love and fertility.
- Philia – Deep friendship or brotherly love, without romantic attraction
- Storge – Familial love, the natural love that family members have for one another.
- Pragma – Practical, longstanding love, that develops over many years and calls for the commitment and dedication of both partners.
- Ludus – Playful or flirtatious love, more akin to infatuation than real love, often felt at the beginning of a relationship.
- Philautia – love of the self
- Mania – obsessive love
Mother’s Love
After further thought, where is a mother’s love? This should have its own designation. As I watch my next-door neighbor (and renter) rally to the task of managing her 7-year-old son’s radiation treatments at Little Rock Children’s Hospital, support the needs of her other children from afar, and juggle all the changes in their family life, I am reminded of how strong women are and how important we are to the fabric of our families.
Shout out! to womenfolk everywhere; mothers, daughters, sisters, who I hope take time to exercise #7: Philautia – love of self.
Get Kerry’s latest blog post every week by entering your information under Join Our Mail List in the side bar, checking the appropriate box, and clicking Subscribe. xoxoxo
