Building Trust

The Dimitri – Pulling Together 2012 – Return to Sliammon

This is the Dimitri Canoe.  On the Pulling Together 2012 Canoe Journey – “Return to Sliammon” – I had the fortune of pulling three times in the Dimitri.  It was pretty luxurious.  I would call this canoe the Cadillac of Canoes.  I am pretty proud of myself for paddling in a different canoe.  For the 2010-2012 Journeys, I have been part of the SD46 Spirit Canoe Crew.  Two years ago (or even last year), I would not have considered pulling for another canoe, with another skipper and another crew.  This year, I enjoyed pulling in a different canoe, meeting new people, and experiencing new leadership.  Why is this year so different?

Not to dwell on my past life, but two years ago I was a different person.  To put it bluntly, I trusted no one.  If you get burned a few times by a few people, you start to give up.  You start to believe that the only person you can trust is yourself.  This is an isolating experience.  Betrayal, lying, or abuse will lead anyone to a flight of fight situation.  If you choose to fight, you will burnout.  If you choose flight, you have to give up on the battle.  Being in a situation when doing what you love does not surpass the negative crap, it’s tough to move forward.

I feel fortunate to be a part of the SD46 Spirit Canoe crew in 2010.  This was the beginning of my healing process.  The blessing is in the breaking.  I had to be broken in order to rebuild.  In 2010, I learned how to trust others, to see the good in others, to rely on my canoe family to pull together.  This was a powerful life lesson to be awakened to.  In 2011, I was in a state of change.  I was trying to find my way with the help of my canoe family, once again.  I am truly grateful to know that my canoe family supported me and I supported them.  My trust was being restored.  The 2012 Journey was a litmus of my transformation and healing.  Because I knew that my canoe family was there for me, I was able to leave the canoe.  It’s like a child leaving home for the first time.  It felt good.  I felt confident.  I felt loved.  It was meant to be.

Pulling Together is about building relations.  It’s about building trust.  I am thankful to the SD46 Spirit Canoe and crew, to the Sunshine Coast Pulling Together Family, and to all those who are a part of the Pulling Together Canoe Journey.