The Four Loves

The Four Loves, by C.S. Lewis

"If I may dare the biological image, God is a 'host' who deliberately creates His own parasites; causes us to be that we may exploit and 'take advantage of' Him.  Herein is love.  This is the diagram of Love Himself, the inventor of all loves."

Seriously.   The book itself was a slow build, but if the above quote from Lewis' conclusion as the culmination of his sketch on love is any indication... You know you're in for a treat.

Personally, the chapter on Friendship is what did it for me.  Of all the loves, says Jack, Friendship is the least natural, the least biological, the least necessary in the strictest sense of the word.  "'You have not chosen one another but I have chosen you for one another.' The Friendship is not a reward for our discrimination and good taste in finding one another out.  It is the instrument by which God reveals to each the beauties of all the others."  These Friends are the ones we find almost by chance, surprised that we "see the same truth".  We meet Friends and think, "What?  You, too?"  I'm currently reading a biography of Lewis, and according to his biographer, this is what he found in his "First Friend", Arthur Greeves, reading Norse mythology - an early, deep love of Jack's.

The Eros chapter went a bit over my head, to be perfectly honest.  I may have to reread that one.  A line I particularly appreciated, though, reads thus: "...The 'headship' of the husband, if only he can sustain it, is most Christ-like.  The sternest feminist need not grudge my sex the crown offered to it either in the Pagan or in the Christian mystery.  For the one is of paper and the other of thorns."

Jack is becoming one of my favorite poets and - easily - philosophers.  He commands such an harmonious understanding of sociology, theology, philosophy and psychology.  Please, please read this one.