The way I see it, LOVE is what we need.
If LOVE was to pervade our tiny paradise of an island, there won’t be all of this hatred; spite; revenge; robberies; murders and all other negatives vices, too numerous to mention…
On Wednesday 14th February, people, the world over, celebrated VALENTINE’S day.
The fact that the auspicious day has pagan origins, is not my focus today.
It was nice to see how couples in love, shopped up a storm and bought special gifts for their loved ones.
It was also nice to see some of the said couples having dinners at the; local restaurants, that same evening.
However, is the word used merely because we can call it well, but really does not have the true meaning attached?
In the English langue we use one word LOVE to describe a multiplicity of feelings:
For instance, I can LOVE my wife; LOVE my vehicle and still for good measure LOVE my dog.
The Greek however is more specific and to me make more sense:
- “EROS” OR EROTIC LOVE
The first kind of love is Eros, which is named after the Greek god of love and fertility. Eros represents the idea of sexual passion and desire.
The ancient Greeks considered Eros to be dangerous and frightening as it involves a “loss of control” through the primal impulse to procreate. Eros is a passionate and intense form of love that arouses romantic and sexual feelings.
Eros is an exulted and beautifully idealistic love that in the hearts of the spiritually mature can be used to “recall knowledge of beauty” (as Socrates put it) through Tantra and spiritual sex. But when misguided, eros can be misused, abused and indulged in, leading to impulsive acts and broken hearts.
Eros is a primal and powerful fire that burns out quickly. It needs its flame to be fanned through
- “PHILIA” OR AFFECTIONATE LOVE
The second type of love is philia, or friendship. The ancient Greeks valued philia far above eros because it was considered a love between equals.
Plato felt that physical attraction was not a necessary part of love, hence the use of the word platonic to mean, “without physical attraction.” Philia is a type of love that is felt among friends who’ve endured hard times together.
- “AGAPE” OR SELFLESS LOVE
The highest and most radical type of love according to the Greeks is agape, or selfless unconditional love.
This type of love is not the sentimental outpouring that often passes as love in our society. It has nothing to do with the condition-based type of love that our sex-obsessed culture tries to pass as love.
Agape is what some call spiritual love. It is an unconditional love, bigger than ourselves, a boundless compassion, an infinite empathy. It is what the Buddhists describe as “mettā” or “universal loving kindness.” It is the purest form of love that is free from desires and expectations, and loves regardless of the flaws and shortcomings of others
Seems to me that we are more prone to exhibit EROS, which is more sexual in nature and involves the lust of the heart.
We do not demonstrate nowadays, enough PHILIA, which embodies genuine love for our fellow men and we certainly are less likely to express AGAPE.
This one is more spiritual in nature: ‘For God so loved the world, that he GAVE……..’
We too have to seek to reach that point, where we can love someone who has just said something bad about us; love someone who has taken away a loved one from us; love someone who has hurt us really badly….
In other words, seek after the example of Jesus Christ himself.
Remember what he said when he was being crucified?
“Father forgive them, for they know not what they do.’
That is LOVE!
Instead, we live in a world of TIT for TAT, where If you kill my dog, I will kill your cat.
You mash me and I will box you dung!
Well I newa.
There is too much anger pervading our land. Too many vexed up and screwed up faces.
Expressing genuine LOVE, with a smile, will take out some of the creases; will lessen your stress; help you to enjoy life and live longer and certainly help to make you a candidate for heaven.
Maybe we are not aware, but none of us will be going to heaven if we harbor hatred and revenge in our hearts and refuse to forgive one another here on earth.
Which heaven you are planning to go to, with that kind of attitude?
So let us seek to show more love to our fellow men.
Let the LOVE start with me.
That’s the way I see it. How do you see it?
END