I wanted to note as early as possible that this ongoing series of vocabulary posts will not be limited to words and phrases of the English language. Sometimes, there is a non-English word that is so deep, it cannot be directly translated. Such a word is presented today: Meraki.
Meaning: adding a piece of oneself into one’s work, done from the heart; it often describes the special, personal, and devoted way something is done, and done to such an extent that a person’s very essence is left behind in the product of love, passion, creativity, and soul.
Origin: μεράκι, meraki (Greek), from the Turkish word merak, meaning “labour of love”. Meraki is a word that many creative people might feel as they pour their hearts into a project. While the English word “ardour” is similar to “Meraki”, the Greek term denotes something much deeper. So, whether you’re a writer, an artist, a cook, a woodworker, etc., may you always do it wholeheartedly and joyfully—with meraki!