Motherly Love vs. Erotic Love
In most cases, love is not considered the connection one has to the other person, but a substantial attitude that determines the affiliation of an individual to the entire globe. People may embrace different forms of love based on the object the love is subjected to, including the love of God, erotic love, self-love, brotherly love, and motherly love, as well. Every form is considered distinct and possesses different fundamental elements. This essay aims to compare and contrast between maternal love and erotic love, and their impact in my life.
The concept of motherly love is described as a categorical affirmation between the life of a kid and his needs. Affiliation is further classified into two elements, with the first being responsibility and care. This is considered a vital aspect that focuses on preserving the growth and life of the child. The second element focuses on a broader perspective than life and growth preservation. It implies the affiliation is the attitude instilled in a child to have a feeling that it is necessary to live. The two aspects of motherly love are substantial and are outlined in the biblical context of creation. The two components of love are linked to biblical ‘milk and honey,’ whereby mothers will give milk as a form of care and responsibility. Nevertheless, giving honey requires one not only to be a good mother but also to embrace happiness; however, it is not adopted by many mothers.
On the other hand, erotic love is yearning a complete union with another person. Since it is not universal as other forms of love, it is classified as the most deceptive and exclusive form of love. In most cases, people tend to uphold erotic love through sexual affiliation. Considering people experience separateness for a long duration, they believe in having a physical union as an approach to overcome the barriers imposed by love. In most cases, people tend to relate erotic love with sexual desires, which might be fueled by other factors, including loneliness or desire to conquer. “Because sexual desire is in the mind of most people coupled with the idea of love, they are easily misled to conclude that they love each other, when they want each other physical (Fromm 54).” Erotic love is deemed to have a peculiar exclusiveness that is considered absent in motherly love. This means you can find two people sharing erotic love, but they are not in love with other individuals. Therefore, as motherly love focuses on growth and separation, erotic love moves in the opposite direction in bringing two separated individuals into a relationship.
In conclusion, I consider motherly love as a difficult type of love because a mother craves nothing for oneself, but all for her growing child. However, this love can only be established if the mother loves other individuals, including other children, her husband, and the community as a whole. The book made me learn that erotic is an exclusive form of love, since two people may love each other without loving others. This creates a substantial difference between motherly and erotic love. In my opinion, the “art of loving” is embracing four fundamental aspects of true love, including care, responsibility, knowledge, and respect.
Works Cited
Fromm, Erich. The art of loving: The centennial edition. A&C Black, 2000. 1-73