Relationships: What's love in today's society

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When we love someone we experience the same positive thoughts and experiences as when we like a person. But we also experience a deep sense of care and commitment towards that person. Being “in love” includes all the above but also involves feelings of sexual arousal and attraction. Love has various definitions. Ask someone and they will give you their own definition of love. Love is a variety of feelings, emotions, and attitude. For some love is more than just being interested physically in someone, it’s an emotional attachment.

Love is more of a feeling that a person feels for another person. People often confuse love and lust. Love means to be deeply committed and connected to someone or something. The basic meaning of love is to feel more than liking towards someone. It is a bond that two people share.

The ancient Greeks used seven words to define the different states of love we can experience:

• Storage: natural affection
• Philia: friendship
• Eros: sexual and erotica
• Agape: unconditional, divine love
• Ludus: flirting
• Pragma: committed, married love
• Philautia: self love

Stay tuned for a more advanced discussion of each in the near future. Until then continue to be safe.

To help prevent the spread of COVID-19, everyone should:

Clean your hands often, either with soap and water for 20 seconds or a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.

Avoid close contact with people who are sick.

Put distance between yourself and other people (at least 6 feet).

Cover your mouth and nose with a mask when around others.

Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.

Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces daily.

CDC recommends that people wear masks in public settings and when around people outside of their household, especially when other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain.

Masks may help prevent people who have COVID-19 from spreading the virus to others.

Wear a mask.

Save lives.

Wear a face cover.

Wash your hands.

Keep a safe distance.