“How do you start writing a book? One page at a time.”
~ Anonymous
I am convinced that this book needed to be written. It was calling out from ages past, long since ignored due to the distractions we find ourselves with today. Society has advanced to a point where we can no longer keep up. This may be good news for some, however it does come with a price.
No matter how fast things change, one thing’s certain: we are human.
We are plagued with problems. Problems are a stepping stone to a more resilient existence. However, what happens when these problems become too much for us to handle? Stress becomes our life and we learn to adapt.
As individuals, we can adapt and grow to fit whatever situation we are in. I like this as it means that we have the ability to overcome almost anything. We can fix our personal problems, but it does require much effort to do so.
As a collective, we can achieve impossible tasks. We survive wars, plagues, and famines and build skyscrapers, rockets, and computers. It is truly remarkable to look back at what society has accomplished to date. At the same time, it is sad at how bad we have been at resolving societal problems.
Societal problems such as health decline and wealth inequality have been with us far too long. A quick glance at our nation’s homeless population is proof enough. Even to say the words ‘homeless population’ highlights just how poor of a job we have been doing.
This book is not explicitly about the issues discussed above. Instead, it identifies and explains the central piece that has been missing in our understanding of how to approach these problems.
This book focuses on one issue: Truth and Reconciliation as brought forth by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (“TRC”). I believe that a central piece is missing from these discussions.
Identifying the missing piece requires a noble effort. The solution does not lie in learning about the history of our nation nor the violent acts it has done against our Aboriginal population. Yes, this knowledge must never be forgotten and I do cover some of it in my discussions. I believe that the solution instead lies in an honest and transparent understanding of our present reality.
I write this book for you who may or may not be familiar with Canada’s history, specifically the history regarding the relationship, or lack thereof, between the Canadian government and our Aboriginal Peoples.
I write this book as a First Nations man who learned about his culture through a post-secondary education and not through traditional means. I don’t blame anyone for this. Instead, my experience provides power to the words I write.
My objective in writing this book is threefold:
I will identify the gap that exists in our conversations surrounding truth and reconciliation. I will then explain the gap and why it is so often ignored. Finally, I will share what I believe is the way forward through personal experience.
The reasons for sharing my story are plenty and I will provide one reason for you here.
It is easy for us to dismiss information if it is presented logically and factually. Personalizing information makes it real:
If I state that approximately 24.1% of the world lives on less than $3.20/day, it seems abysmal. However, if I state that 1,879,800,000 people have just enough money to buy 1 loaf of bread per day, it is unbelievable in all sense of the word.
Every person in this statistic has a story – and who knows, this story could belong to someone you know.
I will do my best to soften your heart as I soften mine. By doing so, I hope to lead you to a better understanding of why the current approach to truth and reconciliation is ineffective and how forgiveness leads us to true reconciliation. Let us begin.
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Image courtesy of Ivan Aleksic