The Favour of Aphrodite

I think I have the favour of Aphrodite.

For I was given the ability to cherish the ones I love,

But in a way that is different to those around me.

I desire not to be craved physically,

Nor touched so divinely that God himself would be jealous,

But to be known fully and truly,

In a way that only a heart could know.

I see how others love,

How that desire one another carnally.

But I cannot know love in that form.

Instead, I cherish the richness of a person’s soul,

Learning the things they cherish themselves,

And what things they despise.

To me love is more than a tangle of limbs.

It’s the way my older brother hides his smile when I hug him tight,

The way my mum tells me every intricate detail about her day,

And the way my best friend gets excited about new adventures.

It’s about how my dad will tell me about something he finds interesting,

Or how my oldest brother’s partner adores her cats,

How my oldest brother loves to figure out how things work.

I may not experience love in all its forms,

But I know what makes the human heart pound,

I know the intricacies of the love itself.

I think I have the favour of Aphrodite.

Blessing or curse, I do not know.

But I’m glad she chose me.