A Good Place to Start …

 
Welcome to my fire, my friend.

You seem nervous, afraid even. Have no fear for here there is no pressure to talk, no pressure to understand. Here there is only warmth and time.

Perhaps you are Indigenous, or you have been told you are, but you are unsure of what that means. Perhaps you were raised far from your community. Perhaps you were raised in your community. Perhaps you struggle to find pride, to find your ancestral knowledge, to find your belief in self.

Warm yourself. This is a good place to start.

Perhaps you are non-Indigenous, unaware of so much except for just how much you don’t know. Perhaps you feel guilt or even shame over your “not knowing”. Perhaps you have questions, but you are hesitant to ask, hesitant to admit you don’t know, hesitant because you have no desire to cause further harm. You just want to understand.

Warm yourself. This is a good place to start.

Because here I meet people where they are, without judgement or condemnation. Here questions are welcome, when asked with care. Here stories are shared, adding facts to knowledge as one adds logs to fire.

Because we all deserve a great place to warm ourselves.

Welcome to my fire, my friend.
 

I love you!
HUGSSSSSSS
Sandi