[Stardate 2023]
To begin, I’m a Sci-Fantasy fan – as in, at times I like to let my imagination run free.
There are various meanings and origins associated with the name Gilean. Mostly, the name (or variations) appears to be widely seen as an Irish/Gaelic boy’s name. As well as that of a servant of Saint John (also of Irish and Gaelic origins).
No, I’m not religious (spiritual, perhaps?) since my childhood was seeped in religious symbols, morality tales and parables. But I was also exposed to gods and angels, good and evil, warlocks, wizards and witches. Lords and knights, magic, elves, faeries, monsters, demons. Dames, damsels, kings, queens, prince and princesses.
All worlds of the imagination, set against the cold reality of the binary aspects of existence. (A jab against the anti-binary / anti-intuitive-type crowd). Life or Death? Everyday life is between Here and Nowhere so pick your spot carefully.
Disney did not invent imagination: he simply exploited it in ways that allowed him to ‘share’ his with those of lesser imagination. It was a business model in which he wielded imagination like a magician fascinates with sleight-of-hand (tricks), mis-direction and illusions.
When you engage with the word, I don’t mean the bible as such but the Word is GOD as it unleashes the power of imagination. It provides the basis for those, imaginary, experiences to flourish; and they will remain, forever, your own. Regardless of the author’s intent, it is not a group experience.
My world of imagination is not the same as yours, the reader. We, obviously, see and perceive the world around us through varied lenses. A mile in my shoes, so to speak, is but the start of a journey for someone else.
According to Dragonlance lore, Gilean is the chief deity of the Gods of Neutrality with the Divine Power of Knowledge. He is an observer and appears to be passionless and uncaring. He is often the mediator.
From Gilean’s or the Lorekeeper’s perspective, the passage of Time or current events, merely unfurl unscripted. The Future. History is but a recording of Time’s passing which are often noted, recorded or written about by the keepers of lores. As such, Gilean is simply a representation of Time looping through a narrative in the ‘fantasy verse’ of Dungeons and Dragons.
Dragonlance lores and characters, a sub-genre of fantasy literature, is filled with the usual and recognisable archetypes found in such books as Lord of The Rings or The Sword of Shannara. So, I suppose, consciously chose Gilean since it is not common or ordinarily used. Things that make you go, hmmm?
Every name has meanings that link and weave identity and perception of self into who we are or become. They define US. Thankfully, most of us do not come pre-labelled with randomly generated A.I identifiers.
In the context of picking a distinctive name for a cat, my hand in the decision-making, made me think of Gilean for the soon-to-be-adopted male kitten. After all, how many of us have had a choice of name/label that serve to define or identify us, individually, our entire lifetime? Without there being a name for IT what is there to talk about, if not nothing?
By the way, I have been quite satisfied with my imposed labels. Much better than 1001001 or XAEA-XII. Though I have been called Bastard, at times, among some colourful ones. But, unlike some, I don’t feel like a number. Just a spoke in a great big wheel.
When my wife and I had both agreed on adopting a pair of kittens, our first choices of a male and female pair from separate litters did not work out. We then decided on a brother and sister pair from the same litter: Cashew and Chestnut. Two of my favourite types of nuts! Separated merely by time of birth, they remain like peas in a pod.
At this point, I find myself engaging in a comparison of animal and human behavior, socialisation; and how we, the Humans (masters) become the Servants in our relationship with certain pets. Cats, as an example. A symbiosis of needs?
It is almost like child parenting! Gasp! What next, cat-psychology?
Don’t know much about biology …. but what a wonderful world!
Observation: While checking online for information about cats (pets), it is important to keep in mind how others feel about their pets and how they perceive or interpret those interactions with their pet. Another thing to also keep in mind is, to truly understand your cat’s (pet’s) behaviour with you in your environment requires that you have a broader understanding of animal behaviour; cats in particular if that is your interest. The Zen of Cat: An A-Z of Japanese Feline Philosophy
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[Year of The Cats – 2023]
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