TLDR: When “thank you” has a deeper meaning.
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As most of you know, I spent the last 8 days off the grid.
The annual solo trip.
I’m not going to overshare, but I will share one experience.
Temazcal.
The story starts with a drive into the Mexican jungle with a master temazcalero named Chicome.
Though we are the same age, our lives couldn’t be more different.
We met up with his wife and two children, whom he had been living a nomadic life with for the past 13 years, and continued to prepare and participate in what became a five-hour ceremony at a Mayan sweat lodge.
As you can imagine, the story could eat up most of your morning, so I will skip the details and head straight to the punchline.
Tlazocamati.
A word we must have said a hundred times over the five hours together.
Loosely translated, Chicome explained that it means “thank you from my heart, and thank you to your heart.”
Among many other traditions he described in detail to me throughout the time together, he told me that translation doesn’t do it justice.
“Tlazocamati means more than thank you,” he said.
“It’s a word of the Nahautl people, a culture deeply rooted in family, community, and nature. It means I appreciate you. Your essence. I appreciate who you are, your past, present, and future. I appreciate your intentions.”
I have no delusions I will do this word the same justice I felt in the moment, but as an example, when I paid Chicome for his time, he didn’t just say thank you. He said
Thank you for working hard for this money, for putting your heart into everything you have done in your life to arrive here, and for sharing this with me so that I can continue doing what I love, supporting my family, and sharing what I do with others. Tlazocamati.
Imagine if we all looked beyond the surface to appreciate one another.
See you Monday.