[Hiraeth.]

It’s almost Valentine’s Day! The mass media has hyped it up to be all about romance and sexual relationships. That’s great for some people, but that’s not all love has to be! Love can come in many sizes, shapes, forms, and even non-human entities!

Platonic Love — When you say “he’s my homie” or “she’s my bestie” you’re pretty much emphasizing just how much you love your friend! This is platonic love, they might be like family to you — either by blood or chosen — and it’s fine to express this on Valentine’s Day! As a matter of fact, the show 30 Rock created the phenomenon that is “Galentine’s Day”

Familial Love — When someone says “I love you like a sister” or when they say “a cousin is your first best friend” that’s an expression of love for your family — again, either by blood or chosen. Young people today even say “fam” to refer to someone they feel such a strong bond with whether or not they’re related. Let that person know what they mean to you!

Pet Love — Nobody understands us better than our pets. Cats have very special ways of expressing to you “human, you are my best friend.” and that can be something as simple as placing a paw on your hand or head bumping you. Dogs will go practically to the ends of the Earth to protect their human. If you love your pet as much as they love you, let them know!

Community Love — Yes, this is a new one and one that is very important to me. The community where you live — where you dine, shop, and work — is vital to your well being as a citizen! What you give to your community will always come back to you. A little bit of generosity can go a really long way to not only help your reputation, but it boosts local morale.

Who and what do you love? Are there other contexts love can be used in?