You don’t go through something like I did in the past 2+ years and come out unchanged. It certainly leaves it’s mark. Even though I am healing I do know that I will never be the same. This experience has certainly left its mark, and though I may still be discovering the full extent of that change ; (a change that is at once heartbreaking and beautiful, positive and negative)and who I will become. I know without a doubt that something core within me has forever been altered. That is the reason for my tattoo. I am Anishinaabekwe. I once heard an Algonquin Elder speak about the significance of the feather. While there are many stories and teachings about the feather. This Elder spoke about how the feather keeps us walking the good path in life, it is a reminder that we can not change the past, we can not go back but can only move forward along the journey of life. In much the same way that when you touch a feather you can only run your hand smoothly along the surface from quill to tip, if you try to ‘go back’ or run your hand along it backwards then you ruin the very essence of the feather. This really spoke to me. I can’t change what happened and it will forever leave a mark on my being ( just like my tattoo is permanent) I can however honour the past and continue to walk forward on this journey in a good way.
