By Marilyn Sutherland
Published in June 2008
You would think that working on your Masters Degree in Social Work would be daunting. Yes? How about helping out at any one of the numerous soup kitchens we have across this country. My experience at the St. John’s Community Kitchen (SJK) was far from this. I was actually overwhelmed by what I saw, felt and heard. But truthfully, that word “community” is what makes it happen. The experience I have helping at any kitchen is very minimal, a short stint in one northern town. What I brought with me is natural, simple, and ordinary.
I came to SJK through the Masters program at Wilfrid Laurier University in the Aboriginal Field of Study. This program is in its second year at Laurier with a culturally holistic approach to social work. In its uniqueness it serves as one of the academic environments for learning that the way of life for First Nations people has contributed to the evolution of natural helpers as we see them in our communities. It has allowed for ceremonies and practices to be part of learning for the understanding and empathy of helping to occur. It also plays an enormous task of reviving, relearning and restoring a culture that was nearly decimated.
So, generally speaking, we are all affected by external forces we have around us on a daily basis. That’s a given. Some instances may be the weather, how to dress that day, or a new address, finding the directions and so on, without a GPS of course, how about where to get the next meal? This list can go on and on. It’s unrelenting. To me there are too many expectations and they can be overwhelming. This definitely can be the life of the underprivileged and the marginalized population. I have learned to live a simple life. For me keeping it simple is real.
There are times when I yearn to go out on the land and remember the natural things I was raised to understand. The trees and the water that give the meaning of survival are important in remembering my heritage and identity. To feel the ground and breathe the air brings about the connection to the universe and to remember how little I really am. The natural cycle of the universe also brings me to allow events and activities to occur as they are meant to be. Letting things happen without going through the suffering and painful acts of resistance brings a peace of mind.
The ordinary things in life are just that ordinary. There’s no place for hoopla or fireworks. My culture and traditions talk about the seven grandfather teachings that I am supposed to practice every day. These are love, truth, honesty, humility, respect, wisdom and bravery. Living an ordinary life allows the light to shine brighter with an attitude of acceptance of my identity to be kind, compassionate and loving.
This is what I carry in my bundle. To walk in this way helps me to see things in a good way, no matter what it is. Walking with a bundle allows me to “count my blessings” from the tiniest to the greatest. Things come in all forms and I am thankful for all. I suppose the practice of living in the moment is the greatest gift that I can give to everyone I meet. I am also thankful for the days that are not going too well, for there is also a lesson to learn from that. I have come to understand that the stories I’ve heard and the things that I’ve seen all have some meaning I can carry with me. We are told to take the good things in life and learn to leave the things which are not meant to keep.
It’s funny how the days flew by at the kitchen, there were days when all was hectic and there are days when a sense of peace and serenity was present. This feeling of hope will always be there knowing that it is a place for community acceptance. One person I got to know well had a dream of being independent when she arrived at the kitchen in search of a meal. After a few chats I got to know why her place of residence was not conducive to freedom. This person frequented the kitchen on a daily basis for a while. Whenever I came into work there was always a smile and greetings, chatting with other people and she enjoyed the freedom. For this person, the kitchen was a place of refuge, a place where the self can be free. Of course, this is only a passing stopover for many, for others it is a place where a good meal is found. For the visitors who needed a meal, it is a warm place with warm smiles. For those who need a push in the right direction, major life decisions are quickly made and we may not see them again.
My experience at SJK would not be the uplifting experience that it’s been without my world view. We as human beings all want the same thing, we want peace and harmony. The best place to begin is within us and like a pebble in the water; this will ripple outward to the entire world. I have seen the work that the community kitchen has offered our community in a way that is hard to imagine. By the grace of goodness and compassion, the visitors who come there know this place for what it is. It is a place for socializing, meeting, contemplating, reflecting, mourning, laughing, surrendering, resting, re-evaluating, and a spring board for the next chapters of life. It is also a place of acceptance, compassion, dedication, and plain old caring for others. To the employees and helpers at the kitchen, this place has those lessons to offer, we keep our hearts open to embrace them and carry them for our own path of wellness.
