Talking Story is a community blog that writes about a specific subject each month and features bloggers articles and essays - this month the topic is Joyful, Jubilant Learning.

When I first visited this blog I was a bit taken aback with the references to Hawaiian values and trying to decipher the meaning of the terms. However, I have discoivered that the Hawaiian culture is deep with meaning and passion as I have learned the meaning behind such well known and used Hawaiian words as Aloha and Mahalo. Typically there are links within a post if a Hawaiian word is used so you can learn it's meaning if you are interested.

Aloha: Aloha is a value, one of unconditional love. Aloha literally translates to "being in the presence of the life's spirit," and it is a sharing which is therefore thought of as the outpouring and receiving of a person's inner spirit.

Mahalo means "thank you" and as a value Mahalo is appreciation and gratitude as a way of living. We live in thankfulness for the richness that makes life so precious at work and at home. Mahalo is the opposite of indifference and apathy, for it is the life perspective of giving thanks for what you have by using your gifts - and all of your gifts - in the best possible way.

It also doubles as Rosa Says' blog and each month she invites other bloggers to share their insights. In the past Rosa would summarize each author's contribution and link to the bloggers site. What makes this month different is that the posts appear in their entirety on the Talking Story Blog which makes the community aspect come alive all the more.

So far this month the community has blogged about:

• LEARNING: A Place of Knowing and of Practiced Believing


• It's an obsession


• Exercise your passion for learning

I am one of the 27 authors and my post appears on September 6th and is titled "Disaster and Emergency Planning in the 21st Century". I will post a link to my article on September 6th.