STORY:noun
1. a narrative, either true or fictitious, in prose or verse, designed to interest, amuse or instruct the hearer or reader. |
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While the journey is long and winds in and around and through many places, people, circumstances, and experiences which is impossible to capture in it's entirety in one page, I am sharing a snapshot of my story here.
I was born and raised in the historical silver boom town of Cobalt in Northern Ontario, Canada surrounded by boreal forest, bedrock and lakes, prior to a fated move in my late teens to Canada's sub Arctic, where I have now lived the most part of my life. While I am home wherever I am in the world, Norman Wells in the Northwest Territories will always be the place to which I return to soul family and the land I've come to love more and more as time moves on. This small town is located on Dene Territory in an isolated region called the 'Sahtu'. It is one of the most beautiful, untouched places on the planet where the animals out number the people. I hope with all my heart it remains this way for the benefit of the next generations.
When I was around 9 years old I remember studying the map of Canada at school. We were learning the Provinces and Territories and had to memorize their Capital cities. I was drawn immediately to the NWT and Yukon and the unique names of their Capital cities of Yellowknife and Whitehorse. I thought it was so COOL! I remember thinking I wonder who lives up there? What is it like? It was like the rest of the map I was made to study didn't matter much. Looking back on that pivotal moment, I now see it was a marker point on my soul's path. The opportunity to move with my cousin and his family to the Northwest Territories came about ten years later when I was still a teenager. I was scared and so sad to leave my home, my family and friends to venture to some far away place, but I faced my fear and did it anyway (something I've become very skilled at). I cried everyday for the first three months, little did I know at the time that this place, the people, and the land would become so deeply ingrained in my heart and soul.
So, in the summer of 1983 after a long day of flying, I landed in a small town in the sub-Arctic on the midnight flight (which was operated by Pacific Western Airlines at that time). The most memorable part of getting off that plane was that despite the fact it was midnight, the sun was shining bright and warm as if it were two in the afternoon! That took some getting used to I'll tell ya.
It didn't take long to get work despite the fact I had very little experience in the 'work' world and was not a high school graduate. I always had impressive marks in school but as smart as I was, school wasn't my thing. I always had two jobs for the first five years or so. My first office job at NTCL (Northern Transportation Company Ltd.) an NWT barging company that's still chuggin' along to this day, and a cleaning job evening and weekends. I eventually switched the cleaning gig out for one slinging beer at the local pub and eventually landed an office job with the Government of the NWT. It was a miracle I got the job because every single one of the other eight applicants dropped out of the competition for various reasons. Huh? They either moved, got sick, changed their minds, one even stepped down because they felt I needed the job more than them. Right place, right time and more divine order taking place in my life. I would end up being employed for the next 13 years at that Government job. The department I worked for was eventually dissolved which resulted in a lay off for me. Government rarely thinks things through and realized they still needed my position so after they laid me off and paid me out, they hired me back on contract for four more years. It was the perfect opportunity for me to use my severance pay and start my own business, which I did.
After working all those years in that office begging and borrowing paperclips or rubber bands, I felt there was a need for office supplies. So, I took a chance and opened an office supply and service store to serve our small town and the Sahtu Region (which consists of five small communities; approximately 3,500 people in total). I purchased a building 'downtown' Norman Wells and eventually moved the office supply & service business into that building, in addition to renting out office space to local businesses. My next business venture was the addition of two travel agencies (previously Mack Travel), one in Norman Wells and one in Inuvik, NWT.
In 2009 at the age of 45, after many years of working for government and owning my own businesses, I walked away from everything and everyone I knew in order to venture into the world, as my soul was calling. I was beyond stressed out and extremely unhappy living the life I was living and had to face the fact that while everything in my life was purposeful, it was time to walk away for awhile. The travel business had been taking a loss year after year and I hadn't pulled a wage at that point for three years. I had been living on my savings which were depleting. After years of being in that struggle, I sold my commercial property and the office supply business and paid out my portion of the travel agencies that were in a loss position. I then let go of most of my material belongings in order to embark on a quest into unknown territory.
At this particular time in my life, I felt somewhat lost after leaving everything familiar in my life. I'd been a workaholic up until this point and now I had so much time on my hands I nearly went mad. I was still in the process of putting myself back together after all hell had broken loose in my personal life some years earlier, as a result of choices I'd made. I was broken into a million pieces and had been piecing myself back together into a better version of myself.
I'd called myself an atheist for the most part of my life, so at this point was extremely hungry to dig deeper and absorb more things spiritual. I found myself attending many spiritually based workshops, sweats and ceremonies, as well as reading every self help book on the market! I realized that as I was learning I was helping others and as I was helping others I was learning. It's still that way. :) One thing led to another and I found myself helping others by doing oracle card readings and life coaching sessions which I've been doing for about ten years now. It lifts me up to help people who are ready to help themselves. It's a high that I can't put into words.
The winter of 2011/12 was a huge turning point for me as I crossed paths on facebook with a childhood friend from Cobalt who initially asked me to visit her at her home on Lummi Island in Washington State as she wished to have me do readings for herself and a few of her friends. She flew me to where she was and I immediately fell in love with their home and property. They just 'happened' to need a house sitter for the winter as she and her husband were moving to Northern California! When asked if I'd be interested, I accepted and welcomed the relief of having a place to settle in for a bit after moving around in survival mode for so long. Prior to her leaving that fated November, she left me with her old sketch pad and pencils as she felt guided. I thought nothing of it at the time as I'd put away my sketch pad many years earlier to 'get on with life' and do what I thought I was supposed to do next. In the spring of 2012, I returned home to Canada with my first eight drawings, and my next chapter would have me finding my way in the world as an Artist.
I have blended my business background with my artwork which has allowed me to share the art in various formats world wide. I get a great feeling of fulfillment and peace when what comes through my soul, touches someone else's soul or when something I've done inspires another. No amount of money in the world can buy that!
********************************
I have a deep love and respect for Mother Earth which speaks loudly through my drawings. I get visions and I show up with the paper and pencil. The end creations are a collaboration between myself and the higher power that works through me. I couldn't possibly take all the credit!
I discovered later in life that I am of Metis/Ojibwe lineage and while I was upset this information was kept from me most of my life, it was like everything in that moment, finally made sense. I am extremely proud and grateful to have the blood of my red Ancestors racing through my veins and fueling my soul.
********************************
I was born and raised in the historical silver boom town of Cobalt in Northern Ontario, Canada surrounded by boreal forest, bedrock and lakes, prior to a fated move in my late teens to Canada's sub Arctic, where I have now lived the most part of my life. While I am home wherever I am in the world, Norman Wells in the Northwest Territories will always be the place to which I return to soul family and the land I've come to love more and more as time moves on. This small town is located on Dene Territory in an isolated region called the 'Sahtu'. It is one of the most beautiful, untouched places on the planet where the animals out number the people. I hope with all my heart it remains this way for the benefit of the next generations.
When I was around 9 years old I remember studying the map of Canada at school. We were learning the Provinces and Territories and had to memorize their Capital cities. I was drawn immediately to the NWT and Yukon and the unique names of their Capital cities of Yellowknife and Whitehorse. I thought it was so COOL! I remember thinking I wonder who lives up there? What is it like? It was like the rest of the map I was made to study didn't matter much. Looking back on that pivotal moment, I now see it was a marker point on my soul's path. The opportunity to move with my cousin and his family to the Northwest Territories came about ten years later when I was still a teenager. I was scared and so sad to leave my home, my family and friends to venture to some far away place, but I faced my fear and did it anyway (something I've become very skilled at). I cried everyday for the first three months, little did I know at the time that this place, the people, and the land would become so deeply ingrained in my heart and soul.
So, in the summer of 1983 after a long day of flying, I landed in a small town in the sub-Arctic on the midnight flight (which was operated by Pacific Western Airlines at that time). The most memorable part of getting off that plane was that despite the fact it was midnight, the sun was shining bright and warm as if it were two in the afternoon! That took some getting used to I'll tell ya.
It didn't take long to get work despite the fact I had very little experience in the 'work' world and was not a high school graduate. I always had impressive marks in school but as smart as I was, school wasn't my thing. I always had two jobs for the first five years or so. My first office job at NTCL (Northern Transportation Company Ltd.) an NWT barging company that's still chuggin' along to this day, and a cleaning job evening and weekends. I eventually switched the cleaning gig out for one slinging beer at the local pub and eventually landed an office job with the Government of the NWT. It was a miracle I got the job because every single one of the other eight applicants dropped out of the competition for various reasons. Huh? They either moved, got sick, changed their minds, one even stepped down because they felt I needed the job more than them. Right place, right time and more divine order taking place in my life. I would end up being employed for the next 13 years at that Government job. The department I worked for was eventually dissolved which resulted in a lay off for me. Government rarely thinks things through and realized they still needed my position so after they laid me off and paid me out, they hired me back on contract for four more years. It was the perfect opportunity for me to use my severance pay and start my own business, which I did.
After working all those years in that office begging and borrowing paperclips or rubber bands, I felt there was a need for office supplies. So, I took a chance and opened an office supply and service store to serve our small town and the Sahtu Region (which consists of five small communities; approximately 3,500 people in total). I purchased a building 'downtown' Norman Wells and eventually moved the office supply & service business into that building, in addition to renting out office space to local businesses. My next business venture was the addition of two travel agencies (previously Mack Travel), one in Norman Wells and one in Inuvik, NWT.
In 2009 at the age of 45, after many years of working for government and owning my own businesses, I walked away from everything and everyone I knew in order to venture into the world, as my soul was calling. I was beyond stressed out and extremely unhappy living the life I was living and had to face the fact that while everything in my life was purposeful, it was time to walk away for awhile. The travel business had been taking a loss year after year and I hadn't pulled a wage at that point for three years. I had been living on my savings which were depleting. After years of being in that struggle, I sold my commercial property and the office supply business and paid out my portion of the travel agencies that were in a loss position. I then let go of most of my material belongings in order to embark on a quest into unknown territory.
At this particular time in my life, I felt somewhat lost after leaving everything familiar in my life. I'd been a workaholic up until this point and now I had so much time on my hands I nearly went mad. I was still in the process of putting myself back together after all hell had broken loose in my personal life some years earlier, as a result of choices I'd made. I was broken into a million pieces and had been piecing myself back together into a better version of myself.
I'd called myself an atheist for the most part of my life, so at this point was extremely hungry to dig deeper and absorb more things spiritual. I found myself attending many spiritually based workshops, sweats and ceremonies, as well as reading every self help book on the market! I realized that as I was learning I was helping others and as I was helping others I was learning. It's still that way. :) One thing led to another and I found myself helping others by doing oracle card readings and life coaching sessions which I've been doing for about ten years now. It lifts me up to help people who are ready to help themselves. It's a high that I can't put into words.
The winter of 2011/12 was a huge turning point for me as I crossed paths on facebook with a childhood friend from Cobalt who initially asked me to visit her at her home on Lummi Island in Washington State as she wished to have me do readings for herself and a few of her friends. She flew me to where she was and I immediately fell in love with their home and property. They just 'happened' to need a house sitter for the winter as she and her husband were moving to Northern California! When asked if I'd be interested, I accepted and welcomed the relief of having a place to settle in for a bit after moving around in survival mode for so long. Prior to her leaving that fated November, she left me with her old sketch pad and pencils as she felt guided. I thought nothing of it at the time as I'd put away my sketch pad many years earlier to 'get on with life' and do what I thought I was supposed to do next. In the spring of 2012, I returned home to Canada with my first eight drawings, and my next chapter would have me finding my way in the world as an Artist.
I have blended my business background with my artwork which has allowed me to share the art in various formats world wide. I get a great feeling of fulfillment and peace when what comes through my soul, touches someone else's soul or when something I've done inspires another. No amount of money in the world can buy that!
********************************
I have a deep love and respect for Mother Earth which speaks loudly through my drawings. I get visions and I show up with the paper and pencil. The end creations are a collaboration between myself and the higher power that works through me. I couldn't possibly take all the credit!
I discovered later in life that I am of Metis/Ojibwe lineage and while I was upset this information was kept from me most of my life, it was like everything in that moment, finally made sense. I am extremely proud and grateful to have the blood of my red Ancestors racing through my veins and fueling my soul.
********************************
