Tomorrow is my wedding anniversary so my thoughts go to love - and to marriage. There are many different kinds of love. According to where you look, there are 3, 4, 7, 8, or 12 types of love, but we mostly hear about these three:
Agape — Unconditional Love. This one is hard for mere mortals. We like to think that God loves us unconditionally, and we hope that parents will love their children unconditionally.
Eros — Romantic Love. This seems to be hard for a lot of people to master, as well, but it is a topic that dominates advice columns, books, movies, and popular songs.
Philia — Affectionate Love, love between friends. The ancient Greeks thought this kind of love was better than eros (sexual love), because it represented love between people who considered themselves equals. This doesn't seem to be any easier than the other forms of love. Sadly, BFFs end up in plenty of toxic relationships.
The good news is that love works out quite beautifully, quite often.
Here are some lovely books (and a movie):
Amour DVD F AMO
Cyrano /McCaughrean, Geraldine. F MCC
Enchanted love: The mystical power of intimate relationships/Williamson, Marianne. 299.93 WIL
The five love languages : how to express heartfelt commitment to your mate /Chapman, Gary D., 646.78 CHA
If the Buddha dated : handbook for finding love on a spiritual path /Kasl, Charlotte Sophia, 294.3 KAS
Living happily ever after : couples talk about lasting love /Wagner, Laurie, 646.78 WAG
Major Pettigrew's last stand : a novel /Simonson, Helen. F SI
Symbols of love 302.3 SYM
Us : Americans talk about love /305.3 BOW
When love lasts forever: male couples celebrate commitment/Yost, Merle James. 306.76 YOS
The force of kindness : change your life with love & compassion /Salzberg, Sharon. 294.356 SAL
Guess how much I love you /McBratney, Sam. E MCB
How to love /Nhat Hanh, 294.3 NHA
If Jesus is Lord : loving our enemies in an age of violence /Sider, Ronald J., 241.697 SID
Outrageous love : a love that seeks no reward /Walsh, Sheila, 231.6 WAL
God of the sparrow /Vajda, Jaroslav J., E VAJ
The power of love : sermons, reflections, and wisdom to uplift and inspire /Curry, Michael B., 252.03 CUR
"First comes love and then comes marriage" (sometimes)
As for me and my house : crafting your marriage to last /Wangerin, Walter. 248.8 WAN
Committed : a skeptic makes peace with marriage /Gilbert, Elizabeth, B GIL
Love's revolution : interracial marriage /Root, Maria P. 306.846 ROO
An American marriage : a novel /Jones, Tayari, F JON
Passionate marriage : love, sex, and intimacy in emotionally committed relationships /Schnarch, David Morris, 616.89 SCH
Toward commitment : a dialogue about marriage /Rehm, Diane. 306.81 REH
Wedded bliss : the marriage of art and ceremony /Peabody Essex Museum. 395 RIC
Weddings from the heart : contemporary and traditional ceremonies for an unforgettable wedding /Kingma, Daphne Rose. 392.5 KIN