Sunday Musings – February 12, 2017
This quiet Sunday morning, as we approach what many see as a contrived, commercial holiday, Valentine’s Day, I am acutely aware of how much I expect out of the word love. I “find” myself using the word in contexts such as:
· I love my son.
· I love my friends including siblings, nieces, and nephews.
· I loved the snow this week.
· I love knowing that Ann Marie and Greg are expecting a baby boy in July.
· I love my computer especially now that it is present without malware bytes.
· I love my new home.
· I love food.
· I loved the visit yesterday with dear friends who in town to celebrate birthdays.
· I love the Pittsburgh Symphony which I will hear in person for the first time since returning from my relatively brief sojourn in Florida.
· I love the miracle of healing.
· I love art.
· I love how I feel after exercising.
· I love falling in love with love.
In each of these situations the word describes a feeling of peace, contentment, gratitude, enjoyment, excitement, possibility, passion, closeness or sometimes, all of these.
Not even the Greeks coined enough words to describes all of these relationships although they offered these choices:
· Agape – love of God, love/Grace of God, children, spouse.
· Eros – mostly used for sexual passion.
· Philia – affectionate regard between equals. Aristotle would have said a dispassionate love.
· Storge – affectionate love - especially of parents and children.
(For a fuller discussion google “Greek words for love.”)
As the reader, will note, none of the Greek words give me permission for my use of the word to describe my relationship with substances or inanimate objects. Certainly, I am not likely to purchase a special meal, chocolates, or flowers to honor my relationship with food, my malware free computer, the snow, or other events, substances or objects. I could and have sent Valentine cards to special friends, my son, a spouse or lover. I did not do so this year although the thought of my son and many friends bring a smile to my heart.
Perhaps I could resolve to be a bit more respectful of the language and, thus, more intentional, in my choice of words to describe my various relationships. I could, for example, say that I am grateful for the gift of my working computer. I could take the time to describe the sensations of texture, aroma, taste, and gratitude for my relationship with food. I might find more accurate, descriptive words to describe my sense of gratitude and humility for the gift of a home which has heat, air conditioning, a private bath with indoor plumbing, and my very own washer and dryer to use whenever I choose.
It does seem, perhaps, my liberal use of the word love is a mere convenience or a symptom of my rushing through life rather than being present with life. Certainly, despite my professed love of language, I am often guilty of more than a bit of inaccurate sloppiness. Yet, as I put “pen to paper” or more accurately fingers to the keyboard, I “love” the magic which happens!
Written February 12, 2017
This quiet Sunday morning, as we approach what many see as a contrived, commercial holiday, Valentine’s Day, I am acutely aware of how much I expect out of the word love. I “find” myself using the word in contexts such as:
· I love my son.
· I love my friends including siblings, nieces, and nephews.
· I loved the snow this week.
· I love knowing that Ann Marie and Greg are expecting a baby boy in July.
· I love my computer especially now that it is present without malware bytes.
· I love my new home.
· I love food.
· I loved the visit yesterday with dear friends who in town to celebrate birthdays.
· I love the Pittsburgh Symphony which I will hear in person for the first time since returning from my relatively brief sojourn in Florida.
· I love the miracle of healing.
· I love art.
· I love how I feel after exercising.
· I love falling in love with love.
In each of these situations the word describes a feeling of peace, contentment, gratitude, enjoyment, excitement, possibility, passion, closeness or sometimes, all of these.
Not even the Greeks coined enough words to describes all of these relationships although they offered these choices:
· Agape – love of God, love/Grace of God, children, spouse.
· Eros – mostly used for sexual passion.
· Philia – affectionate regard between equals. Aristotle would have said a dispassionate love.
· Storge – affectionate love - especially of parents and children.
(For a fuller discussion google “Greek words for love.”)
As the reader, will note, none of the Greek words give me permission for my use of the word to describe my relationship with substances or inanimate objects. Certainly, I am not likely to purchase a special meal, chocolates, or flowers to honor my relationship with food, my malware free computer, the snow, or other events, substances or objects. I could and have sent Valentine cards to special friends, my son, a spouse or lover. I did not do so this year although the thought of my son and many friends bring a smile to my heart.
Perhaps I could resolve to be a bit more respectful of the language and, thus, more intentional, in my choice of words to describe my various relationships. I could, for example, say that I am grateful for the gift of my working computer. I could take the time to describe the sensations of texture, aroma, taste, and gratitude for my relationship with food. I might find more accurate, descriptive words to describe my sense of gratitude and humility for the gift of a home which has heat, air conditioning, a private bath with indoor plumbing, and my very own washer and dryer to use whenever I choose.
It does seem, perhaps, my liberal use of the word love is a mere convenience or a symptom of my rushing through life rather than being present with life. Certainly, despite my professed love of language, I am often guilty of more than a bit of inaccurate sloppiness. Yet, as I put “pen to paper” or more accurately fingers to the keyboard, I “love” the magic which happens!
Written February 12, 2017
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