Divine Love Whispers

Angelika: Even after almost eight years in the USA, I am still fascinated by how much the country's language reflects its culture. I am surprised when the children in the Tenderloin shout a hearty "I love you" at me, even though I know that these three words are used quite liberally in American English. Americans, it seems, love everything and everyone. In German, however, the declaration of love "Ich liebe dich!" carries significant weight. It is used sparingly, as one can fall back on the famous "Ich hab' dich lieb!" as a milder expression.

American politicians, on the other hand, find the phrase "God bless America" great. No speech or interview ends without God's blessing, and this has been the case long before Bush became president. However, I had to smile when Germany's new Federal President, Horst Köhler, recently drew on his American experience and invoked God's blessing over Germany in his inaugural speech.