I love you

What is love? I'm fairly confident that is a question people have been asking since time immemorial.

To the ancient and classical thinkers, the emotion was largely inseparable from the act, both of which had divine characteristics. All you have to do to see this is look at the various polytheistic pantheons. You are almost guaranteed to find a god or goddess of love and sex. In Ancient Egypt you had Hathor. In Greece and Rome, you had Aphrodite, Venus, Eros, and Cupid. And in Norse mythology, you had Freya. (Now it's important to note that this is by no means an exhaustive list, just the generally most recognizable names.)

In Plato's time (4th century BCE), the concept was redefined and expounded upon. If you've ever heard the term 'Platonic love', this is where it comes from. Platonic love is neither sexual nor romantic in nature. It is ultimately a drive to search for truth, beauty, and oneness.

When it comes to the term 'love', the English language is boring. Many other languages have multiple ways to refer to love. For the sake of consistency, let's look at Greek. In Greek, there are four different ways to see and/or express love; they are Philia, Eros, Storge, and Agape. Simply put, Philia is the bond of affection between friends. Storge is a familial affection. Agape is an unconditional, sometimes divine, sense of love. And Eros refers to sensual, sexual, or passionate love. It's also where we get the word erotic from. I think it's safe to say that our modern society is most familiar with the concepts of Philia and Eros.

Some appropriate modern synonyms for the word love are affection, compassion, and passion. But the synonyms still don't define what it is. I think it's easiest and most effective to understand what love is by looking at how it affects our lives. So, I guess I'll use myself as an example...

What does it mean when I tell you that I love you? First of all, it depends on who you are.

If we’re just friends, acquaintances really, then it means I see your value and I hope you do too.

If you’re one of my best friends, I have very few, it means that not only do I see your value, but it doesn’t matter how much time or space separates us. You will always have a place in my heart, and I certainly hope I’ll always have a place in yours.

If you’re the person I’m in love with, it means all of these things and so much more. It means you’re the one I wake up thinking about every morning, as well as my last thought each day. It means I will always keep your best interest in mind, not just my own. It means you’re the one I imagine whenever I dream of the future, the one I want to spend my life with, to grow old with. It means you’re the one whose children I would be happy to bear, simply to witness the amazing parent you will be. It means you’re the one I want to experience this life with, all the good and the bad. It means you will get my patience and my time, before anyone else. It means you’re my inspiration and my motivation. It means I will bare my soul for you if you want me to. It means you’ve broken through the walls I built to protect my heart, mind, and soul. It means if you want me to, I will follow you anywhere. It means you give me a strength I didn’t know was possible. It means you’ve brought joy and peace into my often troubled life. It means I want nothing more than to walk the paths of this life by your side. It means I’m on your team and have your back. It means I choose you, and I always will.

So, what does it mean when I say I love you? If you’re my love, it means you’re everything to me.