Romantic love versus platonic love

So, why does romantic love get all of the attention?  While Romance Tracker deals mainly with romantic love—or love involving amorous and sensual feelings for a boyfriend, girlfriend, husband or wife—it’s worth mentioning that romantic love isn’t the only type of love out there.  Platonic love, which is the love you might feel for a close friend or family member, is also a very powerful emotion.

Since our subject material on Romance Tracker revolves around romantic love, you won’t see us discussing platonic love very often.  But platonic love’s importance in our everyday lives and relationships is at least worth a closer look.

While romantic love between a man and a woman is usually considered the most powerful form of love, the strength of platonic love can’t be underestimated. Platonic love has driven parents, friends, and even soldiers to commit astonishingly brave and selfless acts.  Platonic love, not romantic love, has been seen in powerful acts of parenting, camaraderie, patriotism, and friendship throughout human history.

While platonic love may not be quite as intense and blinding as romantic love, that makes it no less momentous.  And, truthfully, the real romantic person is able to let romantic love and platonic love play equal, powerful roles in their lives.  While you may hold romantic love only for that one special sweetheart, platonic love allows you to have strong feelings for countless other people in your life.

So the next time you are pondering the influence of romantic love in your life, ask yourself if you also concentrate on the equally important inclusion of platonic love.  Allowing yourself to develop close relationships with friends, co-workers and other family members will allow you to add more platonic love to your life . . . and will help you learn how to be a more attuned, sensitive romantic lover, as well!