Who do you find adorable? Or, what do you find adorable? Or, where?

Also, why?

“I adore you.”

“She’s so adorable.”

“What an adorable house.”

“Oh my god, that puppy is friggin adorable.”

I’ve started to notice a certain feeling when I use the word ‘adorable’, an uppity energy. For example, an adorable person makes me want to jump up and hug them, ruffle their hair, praise their sweetness to the world. Adorable puppies beg to be squeezed. Adorable houses ask for every nook and cranny to be explored and lived in; every window seat to be read on. There is a certain reverence to it, and a spark; it’s hard to sit still with adorable.

The word ‘adoration’ is Latin in origin – ‘adoratio’, meaning “to give homage or worship to someone or something”. Over time and though cultures, this worship has taken on different forms. The Ancient Romans would perform adoration by raising their hand to their mouth, kissing it and then waving it in the direction of the adored subject/object. Initially this was an act reserved for paying homage to the Gods, then the monarchs received the same recognition.

It seems a kiss was symbolic of adoration across cultures, also being used further throughout the Middle East, whereby Persians would kiss the knee of their adoree, often a prince, and then fall to the floor, kissing the ground and striking their forehead on the earth. This painful version has the taste of Martyr-adoration.

Of course by now you will recognise the common custom in Western Europe also involving a kiss – a kiss to the sovereign’s hand, a gentleman’s approach to that person whom he adores or worships; a custom fading.

So, what of adoration now?

Who do you find adorable and how do you adore?

A quick Google search of “adorable images” would suggest that rather than gods or princes or any deity or sovereign, it would appear that we now pay homage to puppies and kittens. Should we survive the current environmental mess then the next generations may very well believe that we made dogs our gods and cats our royalty. Can I make a leap to suggest that we have come to worship nature, all souls and beings. But in particular, puppies and kittens.

Okay, fair enough. Carry on.

#dogsasgods

#sovereigncats