Love is a word that is commonly related specifically to romance. The classic: two lovers in love or in a relationship sailing towards a great future. However, people tend to forget the other various types of love that are displayed in our society. Love extends outside of two lovers. It is not boxed and tied down specifically to romance. The list of different types of love could continue for miles.

The love for a friend is a feeling that is hard to describe. This love is somewhat like your family yet closer in a different type of way. The memories you share with the person cause you to feel a surge of emotions and it makes you grateful for that person’s existence. The late night talks about life and your feelings, late night drives by the beach, listening to the ocean as it becomes background noise to the conversation. Talking over plates of food, or having stomach pain from laughing at a joke that no one gets but is an inside joke between you and your friend. Love for friends is a different kind of love.

The love for teachers is not always shared directly with the teachers, but always talked about among students. Teachers are our protectors and guiders to our future. They give us advice that we sometimes take for granted and we often realize there was a feeling of reality sitting in, but also the genuine feeling of care the teacher is trying to convey. In a way, teachers are our day parents, trying to keep us out of trouble, educate us and improve us as human beings. The love for teachers does not stem from the homework assignments, tests or quizzes but the small moments they share with us in between. At times, teachers tell stories about their day, an event that made them happy, or an goofy meme or gif that they thought was funny. The little moments allow students to connect and create a bond with teachers; ultimately, creating the love we have for them.

The love for family, for some people, can extend further than the people they live with. The love a person feels for their mom or dad is, at times, unbreakable. Wanting to stay mad at one of your parents but realizing its hard to do so but you don’t have a solid reason as to why you can’t stay mad. Love for a grandmother can stem from pleasant memories as a child, often staying at her house because your parents were off at work. The stories she would tell, or the traditional food she would make putting in long tiring hours just for you. The love from an aunt of an uncle because they could, sometimes, be considered your second parents when your own were busy with work. Taking you out to lunch and allowing you to open up to them and speak about things you aren’t able to tell to your parents. The love a person has for their family can be never ending or small, the size of love does not matter because love gives off the same message and meaning.

Love extends beyond romance, friends, teachers and family. It is a never ending process that grows everyday as people experience new things or meet new people. Love is an indescribable feeling that people experience and sometimes want to share with the world to make others feel their love as well. All love is the same, they are just packaged and presented differently from each other. I wish people would be more aware of the different types of love around them.