Love

Introduction:

In a world obsessed with the possession of "things," it is ironic to see that all people seek one thing that is completely intangible, love. Love can't be held, bought, manipulated, traded, forgotten, or stolen. Love is pure, honest, true, fulfilling, and most of all valuable. Love is not limited either. An unknown author once wrote, "Trying to bring pleasure to someone, because of the pleasure you feel to see that person's pleasure, is perhaps the most beautiful demonstration of love." Isn't amazing how something so powerful can be found in the simplest of things. In my life I have felt love in many aspects of my life. I love my family, my friends, my country, my life, and myself. These are all the things I hold dear to me in all the choices and plans I make. To lose them is to lose everything.

After a considerable amount of time pining over what I should write I've come to the conclusion that writing about love would be most beneficial. Love in all its forms; love for family, friends, country, and oneself. I will compare them with the four types of love, Storge, Eros, Philios and Agae.

Love of Family:

The love I have for my family is known as Storge love. Storge love means family affection. Storge talks about family affection between family members. There is a certain sense of family affection that you have for one another because you are of the same family. Blood is thicker than water. So you have the inner built affection unless something comes in between.

My family is not like most American families. In fact, we are not even American, only Americanized. We come from a large family in Nassau Bahamas. I see my aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends a few months every year. With the demands of school, sports, and life in general my time with them has been limited to one month every year. My aunts visits periodically, and we speak on the phone often, it still is not the same. Thankfully my immediate family is the closest, most affectionate family I've ever seen, and it compensates for those who can only love me from afar. Love in my family is like a cycle, my family also gives love to the past by visiting graves and attending funerals. Within my family love is not a word, it is a way of life and a wonderful one at that.

Love of Friends:

The love of friends deal with Philios love, and it talks about friendship that is established between various people. It can even go to the extent of a friend that is closer than a brother. So Philios speaks of friendship love, it's a very broad word. It covers everything that has to do with the relationship of one person to another person with a friendly affection. Philios love extends to cover all those nearest and dearest sometimes without the relation of blood.

Like an extended family, my friends are a tireless ear, a wise voice, and helping hand if ever I need one. They are not casual acquaintances and are not limited by race, sex, religion, language, or distance. I love them not for what they are, but what they choose to make of themselves. They hold me to the highest moral standards and never say, "You can't." They love me unconditionally, and that is why we are friends. They refuse to love me for any stupidity, lack of heart, cruelty, or laps in judgment. They know me better than to accept that as who I am, and remind me when the fog gets too thick, and I can't see past myself. In return I love them for who they are, and the good I see inside of them. I have travel around the world, put my life on hold, and found them when they needed me. And the beauty of true friendship is that I believe they would do the same, without thinking twice, for me. We take advantage of the talks we have late into the night after everyone is asleep, laughing and talking. Unfortunately they are not as often as we wish. It is truly a small word and through mail, e-mail, fax, phone, car, and plane we talk each other over the hurdles that we are faced with growing up in the fast-paced, demanding, rush we call the teen years. We share problems, triumphs, jokes, and stories. We, as a generation, have experienced much more than our parents did. The world is smaller and we have been bombarded with violence, sex, suffering, and truths that were taboo in the past at a very young age. Growing up with this media extravaganza has led to much confusion as to who we are and where we are going.

The love between my friends and I helps us cope with the changes that we see in ourselves as a group and we are a comfort to each other that we can find in no other generation. Though we may be separated by distance, we are very close. We suffer, we cry, we share pain making it bearable and happiness that making it worth while.

Love of my Country:

Love for my country is not as clear as that of my family or friends, I have the joy of loving the United States for the opportunities it has given my family and me. I love it for the democracy it holds as a first priority. The United States is full of people that we're looking for "home" and found it here. In the United States I love the acceptance of all people, and the ability to question unfairness. I love the many traditions brought from around the world to this stew pot of peoples called America. America gives everyone a chance. I have seen few countries who are as open to new ideas and innovation regardless of who they are coming from. In a different way, through my roots, I love The Bahamas. I love The Bahamas for my family, which it holds. I love it for the importance of family and kindnesses that I find there, people are open and free; they love life. I love the simplicity and the ability to lean on family. The closeness within life