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Pamela Vossenas's avatar

Dian,

Very enriching in a deep way to read your posts. I appreciate how you explore language from the lens of human relationships/community. Your photos add much warmth and light.

Pamela

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Dian Killian, Ph.D.'s avatar

Thanks so much Pamela for reading and letting me know — and for your practical support. I very much appreciate it!!🥰

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Jean McElhaney's avatar

Yes, this exploration of gratitude definitely enriched my life.

May you have a thousand thousand blessings of good health!

And may you stay safe from storms.

I found your take on being in debt especially intriguing, b/c I seem to remember Charles Eisenstein writing (maybe in Sacred Economics) that the idea of everyone being in debt to everyone else strengthened community. (As compared to when people who have money just pay for things and feel no sense of connection to the ones who are doing things for them.)

Thx for giving me some new ideas to reflect on. I love the way language can give insights into entire worldviews.

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Dian Killian, Ph.D.'s avatar

Thanks for reading Jean and sharing this question (and happy to see a colleague here:). Yes, I can see his point—and how when we buy things it can be mindless and completely transactional. This could be seen as a form/expression of privilege and where is the relationship with the natural world — where all this abundance ultimately come from (before eating a meal, I like to express gratitude to all those who made it possible for it to be on my plate, from the food itself —thank you vegetables! Thank you cow! etc to the farmer and people who transported it). Yet, to that point, energetically gratitude has a very different energy to me (it feels different in my body—expansive and opening). Rather than using debt to create *some* form of connection, I’d prefer an awareness of interdependence—similar to the concept/ practice of umbuntu and the meitheal (which btw has no direct translation into English).

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Dian Killian, Ph.D.'s avatar

Btw if you want to read more about the meitheal, I discuss it here: https://open.substack.com/pub/diankillian/p/sheltering-each-other-longing-for?r=k4pvu&utm_medium=ios

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Dian Killian, Ph.D.'s avatar

Sheltering Each Other:Longing for Meitheal in our Modern Times

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Hugh G Maguire's avatar

Very thoughtful & meaningful writing, deserving of reflection, & also great photos !

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Dian Killian, Ph.D.'s avatar

GRMA Hugh. Re: the photos, means even more coming from tú féin!

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Josephine (Effie)'s avatar

GRMMA! Is aoibhinn liom seo. Tá sé an-shuimiúil! Ní raibh a fhios agam seo: In English, “thank you” comes from “think” and ultimately from the Latin word “know.” It was originally short for, “I think I will remember this”—as in remembering a debt.

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Dian Killian, Ph.D.'s avatar

Sea, mise ach an oiread! Doing this research, foghlaimím go leor mé féin!

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Allysha Lavino's avatar

This is beautiful and powerful! I love exploring the origins of words and am often very intentional in my word choice. I’m going to contemplate new options for “Thank you” in daily life. Blessings to you!

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Dian Killian, Ph.D.'s avatar

GRMA! Agus mise freisin! I have started to say now when saying “thank you,” May goodness come to you” or “May goodness come of it.” This holds the essence for me of “go raibh maith agat!”

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Allysha Lavino's avatar

Yes! Totally trying this. Can’t wait to see the reactions to “May goodness come to you!”

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Katherine Parker PhD's avatar

Wonderful! It strikes me that the Irish way to offer gratitude is a blessing. A directing of the natural abundance of life towards someone. Beautiful. I appreciate you sharing this.

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Dian Killian, Ph.D.'s avatar

Thank you so much— may goodness come to you! :) And i agree: it is a blessing!

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Jen Swan's avatar

Go raibh míle maith agat. Thaitin an léargais go mór liom. Is breá liom an eagna ó do sheanathair. Béidh mé ag féachaint inniu ar an rudaí mhaith , na beannachtaí chugam.

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