Hello Again!

In the past three weeks I've had tremendous experiences that have really taken me back to the days of my childhood, and life on my reserve. On the Easter long weekend we went to visit a friend of mine who I had not seen in ten years, an elder that I used to work with at the Native Education Centre. Being on his reserve brought me back to the days of my childhood: the scents, sounds, activity, hospitality, and emotion. I returned to Vancouver revived.

This week, I was on a school camping trip with ten staff and ninety-five students. We were at a camp on the Sunshine Coast (of which it poured all three days of our trip), located at the edge of the ocean. In spite of the rain, the kids were real heros; no one complained, and every one was fully involved in all the camp activities, both in-door and out-door. For the most part, it was a lot of fun.

An hour or so after we arrived at the camp, I had a few moments of quiet time. I sat under the covered area where archery takes place. This light structure reminded me of one of the forts we attempted to build as children. It was amongst some bushes, just like the ones that grow on my reserve, the ones with the small, pretty pink, early spring flowers. There were trees all around, ever green and hemlock, and a lot of grass. It was pouring rain. I sat with my eyes closed listening to the sounds around me. There was the steady sound of rain hitting the shelter top as well as the sound rain makes as it's bounching off leaves. This was accentuated by the heavy "bloop! bloop! bloop!" that rain makes as it drips heavily into puddles. The birds seemed to sing each in turn; then came this humming sound, increasing in intensity as it neared, slightly strong that I could feel a soft vibration. Curiously, I opened my eyes.

There, about two feet in front of me, suspended in mid air, was this hummingbird. It did its little dance, then darted for the bush. The scents too were all the scents associated with life growing up on the reserve. I began to reflect on my childhood; thinking about mom and dad, Fred and Linda, and the years, how they've gone so quickly.

It was a beautiful time and an absolutely wonderful experience. A trip that I am very glad I made. This is all very healing.