My Eagle Feather
Hey Party people,
Another Monday is here.
Hooray! Haha ok some of you may not share my enthusiasm but I do enjoy Mondays. As we navigate our days and our emotions I wanted to highlight the importance of kindness and humility. This is important not only in our daily interactions - our socially distant and virtual interactions - but also in the media we share and post on our timelines. Try to take an extra moment to see how your actions or words might make someone else feel.
There is an incredible quote by Maya Angelou, an influential writer, and civil rights activist who sums this up beautifully.
“People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” – Maya Angelou
Today I want to share a special story. Have you ever received a gift
from someone that made you cry with thoughtfulness, or made you feel like the
most special human on the planet? For me, this gift was my eagle feather.
Many years ago, when I
was 23 years young and still learning and growing as a human, I had a summer
job that taught me some valuable life lessons. I worked as a field facilitator,
collecting traditional knowledge from indigenous members required for oil and
gas pipelines, also known as indigenous consultation. This meant I was up in northern
Alberta, driving big a$$ diesel trucks and trekking through the forest. I remember when I got
this job, I was so excited because it was my first “real” job, prior to that I
had worked at a bakery or a golf course, but this job was a big girl job.
It was also incredibly intimidating
being thrown into a role that I had zero qualifications for. I didn’t know how
to drive a half tonne 4x4 diesel, or haul a trailer with two Argos on it, OR
know how to work with six or more full-grown MEN. Yeah, I was intimidated.
Knowing I was inexperienced I chose to enter the role with a sense of humility
and eagerness to learn and I did just that. I learned how important it was not
to pretend I had all the answers. I learned what means to listen with the intent
to understand, not the intent to respond. I learned to ask for help when I couldn’t
do something. And I learned how darn capable I was!
Anyway, during a few of
my field stints, I worked alongside this one indigenous elder. He was a little rough
and tough around the edges, and from what I was told didn’t like anyone. Well, for
some reason he took me under his wing. We shared a special bond I didn’t truly
understand until this past January, eight years later.
During some winter cleaning
last year my mama, aka Mama Steps, was going through a kitchen drawing full of
nicks and knacks of my stuff from when I lived at home. In this drawer was a
package I had received from this indigenous elder after I finished working with
him. I had intentionally kept this envelope, so I had his address, but never
did anything with it. Until Christmas, 2019. I sent him a Christmas card and a
written note. I didn’t know if he was still living at the same address or would
still be around to receive it. He did and he was. By the end of January, I received
a package so special I was crying before I even opened it. I began tearing it open
in the streets like a crazy person because I couldn’t wait the 3 blocks to walk
the rest of the way to my apartment.
In this package was a handwritten
note, which expressed sincere words of surprise and gratitude for the card I
had sent. I hadn’t contacted this person in almost 8 years, and I could tell by
the written words on that note, how much hearing from me meant to him. Our connection
was unspoken and was still true today. Also, in this package was a beautiful journal, the cutest handmade baby moccasins, and…. an eagle feather. The eagle is
considered one of the strongest and bravest of all birds. For this reason, its
feathers symbolize what is highest, bravest, strongest, and holiest and
considered one of the most sacred objects in many indigenous cultures. AND I WAS GIFTED
ONE!!
I still have shivers
reliving the receipt of this gift, because they are not given lightly. I could
not have been more honoured to be trusted with such a sacred possession.
The reason I share this
story with you, is to remind you that you will never truly know your ripple effect. How we treat people matters, now more than ever! The interactions we have
day in and day out with friends or family, co-workers, teachers, your kids…it
matters. How you treat our first responders, truck drivers, grocery store
clerks, the Skip the Dishes delivery person, it matters.
And you know why it
matters? Because we have the power
to lift people up or tear people down. Every
single one of us has a story that is as unique as we are, but right now, we are
all experiencing this time, together. Yes, in different ways, and with different
emotional waves but it's a constant for all of us right now. So, when you have a choice to be kind, be kind because there is power in
kindness, there is comfort in humility, and there can be connection in crisis.
You will never truly know
your ripple effect, but it's there each and every day. You might not ever know
the impact you have on another life or their impact on yours. Or maybe you
will, when your eagle feather comes in the mail 8 years later.
If any of you saw my
Instagram story yesterday you would have saw me jamming to this tune, so I
thought I would share the love!
YouTube
>> California - Wave
Spotify >> California
- Wave
I’m
on all the social media channels so look me up and say hi 😊
With
so much gratitude,
-S
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