In a plane, out of a plane, in a plane, and finally...a thousand pounds lighter

Sunday, I was to fly to Toronto to attend a meeting of the Aboriginal literacy coalition board, of which I am vice president. I was to leave at 2:35 PM, but on checking in with the airline (thank heaven for online check-in), I learned that the flight had been delayed quite a bit. 


That suited me, as I was watching a Toronto Blue Jays baseball game on tv with Joyce. And we noticed plenty of fog in the air around Toronto as we watched the game. Eventually, the flight was cancelled, and I sat for half an hour watching the game while on hold with the airline. When I got through, I asked to be put on the red-eye the following morning at 6:55. Got it. Then I phoned the hotel to cancel my room for that night. Done.


So, Joyce and I got extra time together, and headed to bed  early to be up and running. 5:30 AM and I got up, showered, then woke Joyce. Had some breakfast, then found that during the night, freezing rain had fallen, coating the car. Worse, the driving was quite treacherous to the airport. Figuring that the plane would take off anyway (yes, I did check the online system first), we got there, then Joyce dropped me off. 


I was boarded by 6:35 AM.


However, the plane needed de-icing, and another airline had dibs on the de-icing machine. We waited our turn. 


They ran out of de-icer. They went back to load up. They returned, finished the other plane. They started our plane. They ran out of de-icer. They went back to load up. Three times.


At 11:00 AM, the pilot regretfully announced that the forward landing gear doors were jammed open. We would be settled on another plane nearby and flown to Toronto.


It happened. We left at 11:40, arriving after a buffeting due to high winds in southern Ontario, at about 2:50 PM.


I got to my meeting at 3:15 PM, to learn that they had adjourned for the day. Fortunately, the president happened to get on the same elevator, and we agreed to meet shortly for coffee and she would debrief me.


Turns out they had worked through lunch, they had been worried about me (I don't have a cell phone, so I was unable to notify them of the situation--I'm still not thinking about getting one) and thought maybe I wasn't coming. It was a good debriefing.


So why did I go after all? I could have pulled the plug at the airport in Thunder Bay.


However, I wasn't sure they would have quorum without me, and I have always made every effort to go. Secondly, I had a special responsibility: I was the keeper of the coalition's eagle feather, and it was to be there to help give our meeting a good spirit and to guide our decisions positively.


The following day, I was present first thing with the feather. The president had told me that the board (all aboriginal) had decided that it was time for the feather to stay with the Executive Director, to stay with the office. They wondered if I would feel slighted about being asked to give it up. I was touched  by their consideration of my feelings.


When the meeting came to Parking Lot time, I asked to speak. I thanked them for their consideration, explained how being the keeper of the feather was both a great honour (especially with my being non-Aboriginal) and a burden, and that I was fully prepared to surrender the feather to the board's wishes. I further added that I had been on a difficult spirit journey over the last year, and that perhaps that feather had helped me stay stable. 


A Mohawk member of the board gently responded, saying that Aboriginal people were reclaiming their sacred objects, and that it was clear that I as a non-Native had shown proper respect for the object, but that they felt it was time for the feather to return to the Aboriginal people. She thanked me for being respectful and for carrying it safely, and hoped that I would not feel disrespected at being asked to give the feather over. 


I accepted her words, reassured them all, then put the feather back in its case, then stood and presented it to the ED with these words: "Keep this feather in a good spirit. May you honour it, and may it honour you."


I sat down, more relieved than i thought possible. I had not come to the meeting to relinquish the feather--I was fully expecting to have its safekeeping until October, when I leave the board. But now that it happened, I felt lighter, relieved, good. Deep down I knew that I had no business being the keeper, but as long as I was, I would carry out my duties responsibly. It was time, and I was glad of it.


As exhausted as I was, I flew home a thousand pounds lighter.