Holding Space for Mourning and Gratitude
Changing a narrative does not mean abandoning traditions
Today I'm reminded that it is possible to be mournful and grateful at the same time.
I mourn the Indigenous lives that have been taken in pursuit of material wealth in this country. I mourn the loss of culture, language, and spiritual practices in many Indigenous communities. I mourn the past and ongoing traumas experienced by these communities around the country.
The pain is heavy on my heart and I believe we owe each other better.
At the same time, I'm so grateful my siblings. Tonight, we shared dinner with our parents (2), our spouses (3), our kids (5), each of our spouses parents (6), and half of the brothers-in-law (3). Everyone lives locally, so we so each other regularly.
I feel so fortunate to have a village like this, and I'm proud of the work we've all put into these relationships over many years. It's not easy to create a loving, supportive space with so many different people.
We've all had personal and interpersonal struggles. We've had difficult conversations as parents, children, and siblings. We've faced uncomfortable truths together as a family.
The moments of pain and uncertainty feel like worthwhile struggles when we get to fill each other with love and laughter at moments like this. ❤️