Category: Stories
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TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE KEEPER
My grandmother, Christine Marie Laddi Adam, was born on January 11, 1902. She was born near Fond du Lac, Saskatchewan, on the trapline of her parents, Pierre Laddi and Sophie Tsaytthore. She was Denesuline, born into a world of caribou migrations, spruce forests, and ancient teachings. She lived to see that world fade and another…
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The Power of Generosity: A Buddha’s Teachings on Life
For three years, I had the privilege of teaching meditation at a Buddhist temple in Dunrobin. When our group prepared for a journey to Thailand, I knew I couldn’t join them. I chose not to dwell on disappointment. I embraced the principle of non-attachment. I simply asked the Abbot to bring me back a Buddha…
toblogtoday
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Remembering Annie Mercredi: A Sister’s Legacy
ANNIE 1946- Christmas 2024 Remembering Annie: A Christmas Day Goodbye and the Power of Forgiveness1946–2024 Annie was the sister who always wrapped me in the warmest, tightest hug when we greeted each other. “I love you, my baby sister,” she’d whisper as she held me close, her embrace full of comfort and reassurance. When I…
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Our Mind is a powerful thing
I am blessed. Today I started another year around the sun. As I look back on what I wrote on my siblings. I feel sadness. I started out with ten brothers and five sisters. Over the years, I have experienced the loss of five brothers and one sister. Many nieces and nephews. a nephew, Sean…
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Resilience and Harmony: An Indigenous Denesuline Perspective on Life
My family are Densuline from northern Saskatchewan. The Dene are a proud people who lived off the land hunting and fishing prior to (and even after) European contact. I am one of sixteen children: ten brothers and five sisters. When I was young, we would have Dene tea dances which involved drumming and storytelling. In…
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From Trauma To Triumph
I woke up in the middle of the night to a message that a niece is fighting for her life. I felt a mixture of feelings. Frustration, anger, and a profound sorrow upon hearing this news. I wrote about a family member in 2016 who was fighting alcoholism. I have no misconceptions that my writing…
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Reflection on Happiness
Happiness is relative, and fleeting, but necessary for our body’s emotional and spiritual well-being no matter who we are and where we come from. The important thing to remember is that pure happiness lives within each of us. We need to cultivate and nurture happiness. I grew up in a home with no electricity or…
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Lighten your Emotional Baggage
I am a former residential school student. Overall, my experience was uneventful, in that I had no trauma but also no major excitement. A favorite memory is when we went to Dorey lake for the weekend. It was exciting to play in the hills and to be outdoors in nature. I wonder at times if…
toblogtoday
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Thoughts and Prayers … And Indigenous Land Acknowledgments. Meaningless Words?
While I accept the gesture of someone saying my thoughts and prayers are with you when I experienced a loss in my family, these words don’t really comfort me. And yes, I understand they are meant to comfort. Meanwhile, I began noticing people acknowledging they are on Indigenous territory, on TV news stations, and at…
From the Shores of the Ottawa River 