I have no family traditions that I cherish. The only cultural thing that I love is drumming. Am not one to conform to useless traditions simply because they have been done forever…not good enough for me, who lives in the moment, not the past. I do not subscribe to “tradition” culturally either. I was raised without knowledge of my ancestry, so it is not part of my living experience from day to day. I am perfectly content this way. I feel free from the constraints of society and the need to keep the past alive.

I practice mindfulness in order to stay present. Lately I have been focusing outwardly to the events that are politically happening to my relations in BC. Just yesterday, I realized that I have become stressed and angry and have lost my balance within for peace and serenity. Today I am reminded to look outside of myself but to also focus inward and find the peace that is within and bring the darkness that I see outside of myself to the light within for transformation. This is the way to stay awake for me.

I have had to deal with dis-ease in my daily life for 5 years now. Being told you have only 1-3 years left to live, wakes you up to the reality of life. I had been living in a deeply unconscious way. It has been my greatest teacher, this dis-ease, And I am grateful to it. Dispite the challenges it brings to my life, I have been able to tap into living in the moment and mindfulness. I learned that nothing was guaranteed by having to go through this experience. On my best days, living as nothing is promised is natural to me…and other days I will fall back into the fear that comes with living. It usually happens when I lose sight of this simple wisdom….to live as if nothing is promised. Thank you for this reminder of the preciousness of each moment and to not take it for granted. I needed this reminder.