Yesterday I wrote about the joy and love in the performance of “All Through the Night” by Cyndi Lauper and Shaggy and referenced the Greek term Meraki, part of the meaning of which is to do something with love. What type of love though?
I am always amazed and intrigued by the power of language, yet English, thought (umm, particularly by anglophone) to be one of the “best” languages, has only one word for love. Other languages have many more ways of expressing how they feel in this positive vein, one of which being Greek, which has (at least!) seven words for love, as detailed in this piece here, and summarised below:
- Eros: romantic, passionate love
- Philia: intimate, authentic friendship
- Ludus: playful, flirtatious love
- Storge: unconditional, familial love
- Philautia: self-love
- Pragma: committed, companionate love
- Agápe: empathetic, universal love.
At this time of year I find myself reflecting on the year that has past, and also then reaching out to friends I haven’t spoken with for a while, often with a sense of Philia, Pragma, Agape, Storge, and any combination of those.
We can never have enough love in the world. Give some love, of all kinds x