If you want a relationship that has friendship and romance, it is important to understand the difference between eros and agape love.

Both should play a significant part for a healthy, lasting relationship. 

Agape is a supernatural love, or the highest form of love. This is when love becomes a choice. For example, this may look like making sacrifices for the other person and forgiving someone after they have hurt you.

Eros is the falling in love stage, the romance, and the attraction to one another. For example, giving/receiving flowers and wining and dining look like eros.

Both are very significant in a relationship. It might help to think of agape as a deep admiration you have with a friend. You take care of them, support them, and put their needs above your own. You are treating them with the dignity of being a child of God. This, too, is how you build a strong foundation for soulmate love within a relationship.

Maybe you have dated before and you felt a strong physical attraction to someone but you were missing the friendship piece of the relationship. Or, on the contrary, maybe you felt a strong friendship with someone but were lacking the romantic component. When you find the right one, both parts of a relationship will come naturally.

Taken from the book “From Toxic to Soulmate Love” written by Monica Braun