Language frames and influences (though does not determine or circumscribe) thoughts and perceptions and therefore the solutions we are capable of imagining. We are in some ways recognizing this and becoming more sensitive to things like microaggressions. English, for all it’s flexibility, is poor in the language of love. we only have one word that is supposed to encompass eros, fratos, and my new favorite “Agape”. I recommend you listen to this excerpt from John Vervaeke, for me it induced an autonomous sensory median response (that whole body tingle with a scalp massage!).
“[Those were lucky to have] parents who took seriously the question: not, how is this kid relevant to me, but how am i relevant to this kid? How am I relevant to the conditions that will make this kid turn into a moral agent that can pursue long term goals and happiness?”
I touch on luck regularly during these posts, because as far as I can tell, luck is the largest driver of outcomes and well-being. And so I am constantly considering what we can do to raise the general floor of luck. A place where kids can go to be with regulated caregivers at any time of day seems like part of that foundation. Also, regulated caregivers who use more than one word to describe affection?