by Michael Starr-Desnomie
The day when we got on the bus I was really pumped to go to
a different school to show people about the Kairos Blanket Exercise, sharing
the history of Canada that they didn’t know about. Driving to Regina was a good,
looking out the windows and seeing beautiful land and animals.
When we got to Mother Theresa Middle School I knew it was a Catholic
school. I and my brother were outside of school grounds having a smoke before
we went in. Walking into the school, looking around, it was a pretty nice
school, I've got to say.
We met Evan Whitestar who told us that he grew up in Fort
Qu’Appelle. He told us all that he did for the Fort. It was good to meet
another Fort kid that became big. He was telling me and my
classmates about the history that he had in the Fort. He knew a couple people
that played for the Fort Knox and that went into the WHL. I didn’t know that.
It was great hearing what he was saying, what he did when he lived in the Fort.
When he was done talking to us the principal, Terri Cote, showed us the gym so we could get set up for
the Blanket Exercise.
The Blanket Exercise went good; there were over 60 kids in
the gym, all in a circle. After the blanket exercise we always ask the people
to get into a circle so we can talk about how we think and feel. Some of the
kids in the circle didn’t want to speak, so I was waiting until it was my turn.
At the beginning I told my brother Taish I’m going to pour
my heart out. I bro-handshaked him, then went back to the talking circle,
waiting for my turn.
I was the last one to speak.
When it was my turn I stood up.
I spoke my heart out. I was telling all of them, “You are
all leaders and family to me.” I also told them, “I don’t care what color you
are, I care for each and every one of you like family. I give you – each and
every one of you – Much Love and Respect."
I told them about the kids from the north that are needing our
help and I told them my reactions. How I couldn’t get through the first 4 pages
on the book called Shhh… Listen We Have
Something to Say. I told them what I wanted to do. How I was feeling on
that day. That I needed to talk to someone about how I wanted to help them and
on the ideas that would work for them. I felt their pain. I know what they went
through, and don’t call me crazy, but I heard their voices in my head saying help me Michael.
I couldn’t sit down or stay still for a long time. Told them
who I talked to on the phone, what I told them, how I was feeling and what was
on my heart. There was a lot of pressure on my heart. I told them I don’t care
what people say if I cry in front of people, it shows me that I’m a true man,
standing my ground, speaking my heart out to people, telling them how my life
is, like the Blanket Exercise told them my history, how it all made me the man
that I am today, how it made me became a great leader.
When I was done talking I told them all thank you. One of my
teachers, Sherie McKay, who was helping us with the blanket exercise said, “Michael deserves
a group hug” and I said, “If you guys want, I’m a hugger.”
Some kids came running up to me and hugged me, then all 60
kids came up and hugged me. Well, I got a good group hug with mostly all of
them.
They told me that what I said, it touched all of them and I
felt happy and loved by all of them. It was an amazing feeling. I had never gotten
a group hug in a Blanket Exercise. I’ve got to say, that was the best Blanket
Exercise that I have ever had.
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