Many of Marion’s study participants were thriving, living a successful life and doing far more than just surviving.
“I am grateful that I can raise my kids with their father. We are rich in our love for each other and our kids. Both of us still have our parents and we both have our grannys. He also still got his pop which is really good. Not too many old men still with us. We also got some good friends. We living in the country we belong to. We have our stories, our old people, we’re happy. We are rich as we have family, culture, land and we know who we are and where we belong, and it’s enough umm, yes it is more than enough ’cause we are happy, truly happy.”
Not many of the participants in this study used the term thriving. It is not a part of many Aboriginal people’s vocabulary, more like ‘I am doing really well’ or ‘We don’t want for anything’. One participant who felt he was very successful stated the following:
“My parents, well they worked hard, very hard really and yeah I guess they went without and did without for us kids. I am doing really well, I can’t complain really. Life is good I own my home, money in the bank to go on holidays, when I retire, well I’ll have a good super. Both my wife and I have good health and we are happy. Life is what you make it.”
Other participants spoke of doing well in a more holistic way. A young female participant shared:
“I am grateful that I can raise my kids with their father. We are rich in our love for each other and our kids. Both of us still have our parents and we both have our grannys. He also still got his pop which is really good. Not too many old men still with us. We also got some good friends. We living in the country we belong to. We have our stories, our old people, we’re happy. We are rich as we have family, culture, land and we know who we are and where we belong, and it’s enough umm yes, it is more than enough ’cause we are happy, truly happy.”
There were many participants who were thriving. They are living a successful life doing far more than surviving or just surviving.
