Expanding your romantic horizons
THERE ARE only 24 hours to go before Valentine’s Day and the decision is whether to go with the red lingerie set or the box of chocolate truffles. It’s an annual predicament and the anxiety associated with the day for those in relationships can be quite intense. But others, and there are a few, approach the day with an attempt to find a deeper meaning. Meaning that brings with it an appreciation for friendship and an admiration for love in its purest form. While it’s a day for romance, love involves exploring all its facets and not limiting its range. Romance is associated with ‘eros’, which has to do with passion and pleasure while ‘storage’ is familil love or love of family. In addition, there’s ‘phila’ or friendship and ‘agape’, which is selfless love. All four are very different but collectively they represent the real meaning behind Valentine’s Day.
“The whole is greater than the sum of its parts,” the famous quote by the philosopher Aristotle can in many ways be applied to the idea of love. Using the day to explore all forms of love could somehow create a more full bodied experience in the long run.
SELFLESS MINDSET
Life has an interesting way of stitching the fabric of our experiences together and interestingly enough, it’s done with a thimble called time. Life is never yet without a sense of irony and our hopes and dreams are often times brought to the fore when helping others. A selfless mindset is needed and the commitment can involve finally calling your grandmother after weeks of saying you would; or keeping a longtime promise and coincidentally coming through on that promise on February 14. It’s often times welcomed as a heartfelt surprise. We all want our hearts desires, but being of service, spreading love through action and providing positive energy can be the love that many around you may need.
The notion of expanding romance outside of a sexual attraction may be absurd to some but the idea is still applicable. Taking the time to assess emotions is needed, for calibrating logic and reason with desire and wants can be an arduous task when basking in the commercial glow of the day. But if one were to sit back and think of the reasons or what fuels your love, then the assessment may not be as taboo as you may think.
Romantic feelings can involve the following:
Sharing someone’s distress. Going out of your way to accommodate somebody. Time spent thinking about them.
Wanting to be around someone you love. Having a highly empathetic connection to someone. Wanting to do activities with them.
Having the urge to making them happy and fixing their problems.
Therefore, think of ways this Valentine’s Day to explore these feelings and go outside the norm. It’s a day of love and there is nothing more important all year round. Granted, the idea of a Roman mythological god appearing to provide instant gratification for your true desires can be erroneous at best, but at its
core, it’s honest. Yes the instantaneousness of being shot by cupid’s arrow is romantic but romance is only one of the four quadrants of love. So while you are considering the red lingerie set or the box of chocolate truffles also remember others in your life that may need a little ‘romance’ as well. Employing other forms of love in your life’s journey is vital for actualising love in its fullest form and the practice can equate to a more indelible and robust experience. Happy Valentine’s Day!