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Childhood Memories .......

1. I remember swimming in Lake Superior at MorMor & PaPa's Cabin when I was 6..(I'm Native American adopted by Swedish (moms side) & Scottish (Fathers side) Ethnicities). The pictures I have of those times show it was NOT a pleasant experience...I guess I've blocked out how cold it was.
2. I remember horseback riding in the Winter countryside every Saturday during my high school yrs. The gentleman who I worked for training his polo ponies allowed my to take his horses out of the barn with the other girls who worked there. I realize now as I look back on that...what a generous and trusting man he was.
3. I rememeber stealing my brothers pot time & time again because I knew he couldnt ever "tell on me".......my girlfriends & I would smoke after school in the woods by my house.
4. I remember this cute Canadian guy who fell in love with me during our stay at the '76 Olympics in Montreal. I was 12 yrs old & my family rented a house to stay in during the 2 weeks. This boy gave my dad letters every day to give to me from him. I vaguely remember being outside during those hot summer nites, playing with my new Canadian friends. I didnt speak French very well & they didn't speak English either......but it didn't matter ........we still found ways to play.
5. I remember every Easter getting either a baby chick or a baby bunny in my basket.....
6. I remember the first time I saw a grown man cry.....it was when my father lost his mother. I was in 6th or 7th grade.....and it shook me to the core to see this man who I depended on, thought knew everything, and ws my rock in my life, show vulnerability. Come to think of it......the only other time I remember seeing my dad cry was at my first wedding. He had walked me down the aisle....in his Kilt (Scottish heritage...remember....pay attn!) ....& we were standing at the alter with the pastor....The music had stopped & right as we began our vows, I remember hearing quiet sobs from behind me....I glanced back wondering who it was. His head was down, wiping the tears with his hankerchief...and the look on my moms face as I looked to her was one of "yes, your father is crying.....hes losing his baby girl today.....NOW TURN AROUND & FINISH!"
7. I remember walking to the school bus on cold winter mornings & Russell Rungee would break my -soaking wet from the shower- hair ends off to prove a point of how cold it was.
8. I remember wonderful family ski trips to Aspen every Winter.
9. I remember sitting upstairs in my parent home, in the farthest bedroom down the hall with my brothers, their wives, their boys & mom. I witnessed my nephews experiencing my dads ability to make it seem like Santa really does knock on the door...come in .....eat the cookies...drink the milk and take the carrots out to the reindeer. I cried seeing the joy in their reaction......and you know to this day....I STILL do not know how my dad does it. (& have not found those blasted jinglebells we hear after dad answers the door)
10. I remember the excitement & fear I felt getting on the plane in college to go live in Scotland for a school yr. I knew no-one.... & was going to live in a castle outside of Edinburgh with 100 other students from America. Best decision I ever made.
11. I remember having a feeling of "I can do anything I set my mind to in this world" as I was standing on the top of a telephone pole equipped with a metal disk attached by just a single nail in the middle. This meant that the plate would rotate easily based on your footing and pressure. There was nothing to hang onto or assist and steady you once you reached the point of where the top of the pole was at your chest level. You had to just balance & step up, no hands. Very scary.....but if you managed to work past the fear of being on top of the pole, didnt look down but rather straight out at the top of the treeline in front, and stepped up as if stepping from the floor to the seat of a chair......U were home free. I remember crying as the feeling of fear moved from my gut into a feeling of triumph in my heart!
12. I remember the first time I met Zachoje Rinpoche (reincarnated previous Dalia Lama) , my buddhism Teacher (Guru). I had reached out to shake his hand at a teaching & he very kindly reached out and grabbed my hand and then reached with his other to my shoulder to pull me into a hug. He looked me straight in the eye & expressed how he was glad to meet me.....Its hard to explain.....but I felt an enormous sense of happiness, peace & love as I looked back. It was almost overwhelming ........and I wanted to shut my eyes so he couldnt see my past bad deeds & thoughts.
13. Whew ....last one........I remember receiving an email from a co-worker after I had resigned from the Diversity team at work. I thought I had caused too much upheaval in discussions of peoples diversity. During my time on the team, in addition to doing education presentations, it was my responsiblity to call people on behaviors which were 'ignorant' for lack of a better viewed word. Its hard to not offend people when you are calling attention to their behaviors. I thought I had failed...& pissed to many people off. I had also become very tired of taking bullets during these sessions. I explained this in my email to my diversity team mates. The reaction I received was one of sadness....shock & encouragement to stay. They understood how lonely it feels sometimes to be the only one in the crowd doing the courageous thing ....to speak up for the underdog. I learned that many times others are afraid of people who walk the talk. Just because I wasnt receiving accolades for my actions.....doesnt mean they were going unnoticed.

** I followed Lisa's 13 TH Topic this week.....