The Faces of Love
Linda Levin M.A., Parenting Expert and Child Development Specialist, explains the “faces of love” and their importance and significance in your life.
What are the faces of love?
The faces of love are defined as being romantic love, affectionate love, and consummate love.
What does intimacy mean?
The term intimacy is when a person is able to share private thoughts and self-disclose. Often times in cases of friendship, our friends may provide a better buffer from stress and be emotionally supportive than our family members. The reason is that we can choose our friends, not our family members. Family relationships are more obligatory and friendships are voluntary. You may be a lucky person if your family members are your closest friends as well!
What is romantic love?
Some friendships may turn into a romantic love, which is called compassionate love. A range of emotions goes into romantic love, such as fear, anger, passion, sexual desire, jealousy, and joy. Some researchers even think sexual desire is the most important factor in a romantic relationship.
What is affectionate love?
This love is also called companionate love. It is the type of love when someone desires to have the other person with them and has a deep, caring affection towards them. As love matures from a romantic love standpoint to an affectionate love, loneliness and uncertainty are reduced. Anxieties can lessen or produce conflict and withdrawal. Lovers feel either very secure or distressed. Novelty is replaced with familiarity or feeling bored, lonely, hostile, or disappointed.
Love has three main dimensions. They are passion, intimacy, and commitment. Commitment is the most important aspect of a consummate relationship, even in the face of adversity and problems. This is the fullest form of love of all.
What happens when you fall out of love?
It may feel tragic, when a close relationship comes to an end and that person is no longer in your life. It can lead to depression, inability to work, obsessive thoughts, sexual dysfunction, self-condemnation and problems in making new friends. Often times a person may feel relieved to move on after they experience a painful breakup/divorce and new opportunities may arise through this growing process.
Looking back over the years, I’ve thought about my own marriage to my husband and the different stages and faces of love I have experienced. I hope this article will guide you and help you distinguish the faces of love and where you might be at at this time in your life.
