It was a few months ago while attending a Woman’s Business Showcase in Van Leek Hill Ontario that I met this most talented and good hearted woman. There she was in the main reception room with her wide brim hat, her bright smile, a stained glass piece resting on an easel, a brightly coloured box and raffle tickets.

After wondering, somewhat aimlessly through the many rows of displays, I found myself back in the reception area. The raffle turned out to be a fundraiser for two food banks. Happily, I purchased $10 worth the tickets and donated another $10 without expectation. Maggie encouraged me to have more tickets for the extra money. My response was that sometimes, we need to give without expectation. This is afterall a good cause.

We began to chat. There was an energy of familarity about her. We felt like we had met before. During the conversation of discovery, Maggie asked if I had been on the radio. “Yes, CKON in Akwesasne.” I replied. Oh! Maggie became animated and filled with the energy of delight. She knew who I was from the radio although we had never physically met before. Maggie sold her tickets and we chatted for a short while longer.

The day came to an end and. Home was welcoming and I had company when the phone rang later that night. On the other end of the phone was the same effervescent voice I recalled from the reception room. It was Maggie. She was beside herself with the news that my ticket had been drawn for the stained glass piece. Because of the distance between us, we agreed to meet at the 2 Bean Cafe in Alexandria. This is a good half way point. Besides, Kasey serves great food and the coffee is ahhhhhhhhhhhhh delicious.

While meeting over lunch, I asked the name of the artist that donated the stained glass. Much to my amazement, Maggie said, “Me, Maggie Dean!” What a double delight. To have won this beautiful piece of art and to be with the artist as well.

Maggie Dean had decided that more funds were needed for the local food banks and took up the campaign to raffle on of her pieces of art. She and I both gave from our hearts without expectation. We share much in common. One of the other things we share in common is that we both introduce ourself by first and last name!

It is time to reconnect with Maggie Dean. Thank you Maggie Dean for being you.

Here is her website! Please take some time to visit there.
http://www.artseo.ca/anglais/artists/d/Dean_Maggie/Dean_Maggie.html

Imagine being treated in a way that clearly gives the message that you are not important! This first six months more than abundantly provided such situations. My house and car insurance company. My cell phone carrier. An eye doctor and an eye glass lab. There are more and perhaps by the end of this blog, I will recall them.

Firing a person or company does not come easily. It comes from self respect. It an ability that swells up from the depths of dignity.

The insurance company sent a letter demanding access to my credit rating based on the rational that a good credit rating makes a good driver. Oh, YES! That is what they touted as the reason. Further to this imperfect logic was the threat that if I declined, I would be charged the highest possible fee for the insurance.

Whoa! Talk about unhealthy policy. This one takes the cake. Not only was I expected to accept this demeaning and impersonal treatment but I lived with being their customer since 1980 and never once had a rep or agent contact me about my needs.

Needless to say, I called the head office and said, “You’re fired!” That same day, I registered with a local company. Now, I receive calls, personal visits and warm professional support that meet my needs.

While away on a long business trip, I called into the office and picked up messages. One was to call my cell phone carrier about my account. So, I did call them. At the other end, I was informed that my phone was ‘hotlined’. “What is hotlined?” I asked. This is when the phone company rigs your phone that any call you attempt to make will automatically go to their customer service center. “Why?!” I asked. The response shocked me. I was told that because a payment was not successful in going through on the credit card, They asked me to verify my card number. How inconvenient. I inquired, “Why didn’t you just put it through again? There is money available on the card.” The answer…”this is our policy.” After verifying the card number and the payment flowed through like an open river, I asked what would have happened if I needed to make an emergency call? The answer?! That’s right…”this is our policy.” Once I announced that the company was fired, and put on hold, the next surprise was a man. A man at the ‘escalation desk’. A short conversation ensued. He admited that how this was handled was poor. He apologized. In my mind, I asked the question, “How often is too often to be put in harms way over a few dollars?” My conclusion is that once is too often. “You’re fired!” The account closed July 1st.

You get the picture. Respect is an important part of any business. Business and respect can and should coexist. Business without respect will dry up, turn to dust and disappear.

When you feel that policy is being pushed down your throat, that you are not important as a customer or client, that you are being threatened into compliance…breathe…centre your Self…make a decision from the depths of your dignity and say…You’re fired!

Dignity is the state of poise and self respect that inspires respect.

March 29th Blog #1

My travels this month held very special events. My struggle is to give details of a series of sacred circumstances while remaining humble because of the very same sense of sacredness.

I had the honour of staying with a family in a First Nation’s community. There were few appointments. This proved to be a Divine decision. There are often unforeseen reasons that lead to astonishing circumstances.

This is my first blog. It is important to state that in this Earth life, I am fully aware of my white skin. It is just as important to state that my Spirit holds the colours of all four races. This knowing came about ten years ago when presenting myself at a gathering of people on Christian Island an Ojibwa Community. That is a story for another time.

Another important truth…For knowledge to live, it must be shared with a good heart and a good mind. That is what occurred. Knowledge and teachings were shared.

I was invited to a pipe ceremony and given permission to open my pipe bundle and participate. The facilitator of the ceremony is a gentle and spiritual man. After speaking the words that begins the ceremony, he channeled teachings on humility. I felt my focus intensify as my mind absorbed the words that flowed through him. It was real…genuine. We smoked our pipes in prayer. Then, the ceremony came to a close.

After the ceremony the facilitator mentioned that his pipe was showing signs of needing a new stem. I asked him if he had given his pipe a cedar bath. “No. I was not taught that.” he replied. “May I show you?” I asked. He answered softly, “Yes.”

That evening I boiled the cedar offering prayers of gratitude. Cleaning the pipes took time. Pipes because mine also needed a cedar bath. We both carry a Thunderbird pipe. After a while, the facilitator’s female life partner put her hand on my shoulder and said, “You are very patient.”

I found myself saying that it was easy to be patient cleaning the pipes because our pipes teach us patience. They wait for us to open our bundles and utilize them. (As was the case with our small group, the pipes had waited a long time for us to come back to them.) That is patience. Now that our bundles, after many months of being closed, were open, I felt happy to give them this time and handle them with such care because that is what they give us, time, patience and care. Then I asked, “When did you last feast your pipes?”

Each person looked at the other. The answer came, “We were not given that teaching. Will you show us?” “Yes.”, I said. All this happened on a Thursday night. Friday night the pipe and other sacred items in the bundles would be feasted.

When the items were set out, I felt the Spirit move me to channel a teaching. We sat in our circle. I picked up the bowl and stem of the pipe and put them together. Then the words started to flow through me.

“The bowl and the stem are two. When they come together, they are one. The pipe and the carrier are two. When the carrier holds the pipe, they are one. The pipe with the carrier and the sacred plants are two. When the sacred plants are used in ceremony, all are one. The pipe with the carrier and the Angels/Spirit Guides from the Light are two. When the Angels/Spirit Guides are called into the circle, we are one. In our ceremony, we gather as individuals. When the opening words are spoken, we are one. Our Creator is at the center. When the Creator is included, we are one. We are whole. We are complete.”

The feast food was set in the center of the circle, left over night and taken away in the early the following morning. The facilitator directed that we would smoke our pipes in ceremony Saturday night. We gathered in our circle. Our pipes were waiting for the connection of oneness. I looked to our facilitator to speak the words that are spoken at the beginning to open the ceremony. He looked back at me, closed his eye and when he opened them again, he said, “Doreen. Spirit tells me that you are to conduct the ceremony tonight.” Silence settled into me as I looked back at him. “But…”, I said. “But, I am white and honoured to carry this pipe because it came to me in the correct way.”

“Spirit directs that you facilitate this pipe ceremony.”, he said quietly and with a strength that comes from knowing one’s truth. I bowed my head and ask for guidance. Then, the words came. I asked the gentle, spiritual man to speak the words that begin the ceremony. He did and we sat in oneness and were whole in the Presence of our Creator. More teachings flowed through me. While I channeled the teachings, my spirit recalled the words spoken Thursday night. The teaching about humility.

There were many teaching shared in our small circle. We discovered that we were both teachers and students.

Now, I feel that I have honoured the sacredness of these events. For this, I am grateful. There are more events. They will be shared at another time.