Exploring Love: A Journey from the Visible to the Invisible

Love was here before the stars, love is the fundamental law of the universe. We must express it in all its forms : eros, philia, storgê, agapê. A whole bouquet of love to intoxicate us like a perfume. Feel it, feel it, something will always remain. February, the month of love, arrives with all its beauty and mystery. And to begin this month under the sign of love, what better than an emblematic quote from Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, taken from The Little Prince: « It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye. » Did you know that love is not just synonymous with passion or romanticism? In antiquity, the Greeks distinguished four forms of love, each having a unique and indispensable role in our lives. Each type of love responds to a specific need and can coexist, even cohabit, in our relationships. EROS, passionate and carnal love Eros is that irresistible attraction, that ardent desire, a vivid and often ephemeral flame. This love gives us the impression of being under a spell, as if our entire being were invaded by the presence of the other. Some, in a surge of ecstasy, may even believe they are under the influence of a bòkò (a voodoo spell), so all-encompassing does this love seem. Nietzsche, in Thus Spoke Zarathustra, called this love madness, but a madness that holds profound wisdom. It pushes us to abandon our individualism, to merge with the other. PHILIA, friendly and fraternal love Philia is the love based on trust, respect, and sharing. It is the cement of sincere and lasting friendships. Unlike Eros, Philia is founded on reality and mutual knowledge. It is the love that sees flaws but accepts them, as Nietzsche suggests, for whom friendship consists of seeing flaws and accepting them without judgment. STORGÊ, familial and unconditional love It is the love of parents for their children, that natural and indestructible bond that unites loved ones, beyond the trials of time. This love, often instinctive, forges bonds that resist adversity. It embodies unwavering tenderness, rooted in blood and shared memories. AGAPÈ, altruistic and universal love Agapè is a pure, selfless love. It is the love that gives without expecting anything in return, the very essence of benevolence and compassion. This love is frequently mentioned in the Bible and embodies God's second commandment: « Love your neighbor as yourself. » Love: A Fusion of the Four Dimensions Each of us has surely already felt the coexistence of these four forms of love in our lives. Do we not find, in the love we bear for our partner, a subtle blend of passion, respect, unconditionality, and benevolence? Returning to Saint-Exupéry's quote. It is an invitation to see beyond appearances. Saint-Exupéry invites us to look beyond what the eye sees. Sight, by limiting itself to appearances, often deceives us. Only the heart has the capacity to perceive authenticity: emotions, intentions, sincerity. For example, one can admire a person for their external beauty, but it is the benevolence of their soul that truly touches our heart. This quote reminds us that authentic love goes far beyond physical attraction. It is nourished by deep emotions, mutual understanding, and the willingness to see the other in their vulnerability, without mask or artifice. Currently, the Internet has abolished distances. Social networks have established a screen between the real and the virtual in a 2.0 world. Our brains are invaded by data. Images and scenes are harvested in profusion on our screens. We are glued, connected at all hours of the day and night. We communicate in snippets of phrases and a whole range of artifice.  Is this communication for a society that meets online?  Let us seek that warmth, that feeling that creates bonds and cultivates the human in man. This is how all this millennial wisdom that still guides our steps  takes on its full meaning: true human connection cannot be captured by a simple image. Saint-Exupéry, with his simple and profound words, invites us to rethink our way of apprehending life and love. What is essential are values, dreams, emotions… invisible elements that define our existence.  Music, literature, painting, cinema touch us because they make us feel emotion. Art is the finest flower of human sensitivity. Dostoevsky is right when he says : « Art will save the world. »  Love is a journey from the visible to the invisible. Ultimately, to love is to learn to see with the heart. Whether it is Eros, Philia, Storgê, or Agapè, each form of love shapes our existence and pushes us to go beyond appearances. It is only by cultivating this inner vision that we can truly touch the beauty of love. Thus, I invite you to probe your heart, to recognize the love that reigns supreme there, and to learn its subtle and victorious art. For true love is that which is offered without ever submitting it, that which rises unconditionally. Marnatha I. Ternier  February 10, 2025 Thank you