It is Valentine’s Day so you can’t be too surprised that I found a taxonomy all about love. I was surprised at how many there were, but this one jumped out at me if for no other reason than the archaic walk down memory lane when I opened the full paper and found uber mimeographed typewritten paper. I could smell the ink as though I was still in the junior high office turning the barrel of blue ink over and over again, knowing I wouldn’t get that stain off my hands for days and not giving a flying fig.
Love, especially on this particular calendar day, always makes one think of spouses and boyfriends, but a true taxonomy of love acknowledges all emotional relationships involving some sense of commitment. They do not always have to involve an ongoing romantic relationship or the potential for such a relationship. Research on the dimensions of love points to a large general factor of love dependent on a cognitive evaluation that one is understood, and a feeling of competency and involvement in understanding the other. I totally have this with my husband, but also with my dogs. I don’t see that on the taxonomy.
Melody K. Smith
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