Love Means So Very Much

In Greek there are four words to the English's one word for love. Each word describes a different aspect of "love."

Storge--the way you love your family

Philia--love shared between friends

Eros--Erotic, sensual love

Agape--Unconditional love (the love God shows us!)

Earlier this week while in my car flipping through radio stations I happened upon a morning show I don't typically enjoy, but on this particular morning I became absorbed in the conversation being had. The background is simple. The female DJ was sharing that in the context of a casual phone conversation her male DJ counterpart casually ended the conversation by saying, "okay, see you tomorrow, love you." The gist of the continued discussion was more or less a debate as to whether or not he actually said it. But what most captured my attention was his uncomfortableness with the thought that he may have said "love" to this woman.

The conversation grew to include other DJs as well as listeners. Soon people were discussing the different meanings of love. In this I discovered that coloquially we do have different "words" for love.

Love ya--love shared among friends

I love you--a deeper love shared with close friends and family

I am in love with you--spoken in intimate relationships

How interesting and powerful such a word is that despite our lingual limitations we have found ways to express the varying levels of it's meaning. I remember the first time I told a now dear friend of mine that I loved her. It came out quite accidentally yet completely sincere and honest. I had been leaving her a voicemail when in closing I said, "okay, call me when you get a chance. Love you." I hung up the phone and thought to myself, "oh my gosh, that's gonna freak her out!" In reality she very much appreciated it!

Love comes natural to those who allow themselves the freedom to express it when truly felt in the heart!

As I share this recent reflection I cannot help but ponder the reality of the next two months. Two months from this week I'll be moving to a new home, with a new local community, and a new routine. While I am absolutely excited at the transition to novitiate I am also filled with sadness in having to leave the community I can whole heartedly say I LOVE. In the deepest Christian sense of love I love Joan, Kathy, and Maureen. They have become a part of me in ways that have changed me, making me into a better person then I could have been otherwise. To speak in Greek I believe I have come as close as I can to having an agape love for them.

It was once sung, "all you need is love, love is all you need." There is great wisdom and truth in this. Love is all we need, yet love means so very much!