Loveisemotionsandexperiencesrelatedtoasenseofstrongaffectionandattachment.Thewordlovecanrefertoavarietyofdifferentfeelings,states,andattitudes,rangingfromgenericpleasuretointenseinterpersonalattraction.Thisdiversityofusesandmeanings,combinedwiththecomplexityofthefeelingsinvolved,makesloveunusuallydifficulttoconsistentlydefine,evencomparedtootheremotionalstates.Asanabstractconcept,loveusuallyreferstoadeep,ineffablefeelingoftenderlycaringforanotherperson.Eventhislimitedconceptionoflove,however,encompassesawealthofdifferentfeelings,fromthepassionatedesireandintimacyofromanticlovetothenonsexualemotionalclosenessoffamilialandplatoniclovetotheprofoundonenessordevotionofreligiouslove.Apersoncanbesaidtoloveacountry,principle,orgoaliftheyvalueitgreatlyandaredeeplycommittedtoit.Similarly,compassionateoutreachandvolunteerworkers'"love"oftheircausemaysometimesbebornenotofinterpersonallove,butimpersonallovecoupledwithaltruismandstrongpoliticalconvictions.Peoplecanalso"love"materialobjects,animals,oractivitiesiftheyinvestthemselvesinbondingorotherwiseidentifyingwiththosethings.Ifsexualpassionisalsoinvolved,thisconditionofloveiscalledparaphilia.Loveinitsvariousformsactsasamajorfacilitatorofinterpersonalrelationshipsand,owingtoitscentralpsychologicalimportance,isoneofthemostcommonthemesinthecreativearts.