Freelance Writing
Truth and Reconciliation
J.T. Wahlberg
"When the school is on the reserve, the child lives with its parents, who are savages;
he is surrounded by savages, and though he may learn to read and write his habits,
and training and mode of thought are Indian. He is simply a savage who can read and
write. It has been strongly pressed on myself, as the head of the Department, that the Indian
children should be withdrawn as much as possible from the parental influence, and the only
way to do that would be to put them in central training industrial schools where they will
acquire the habits and modes of thought of white men."
— Prime Minister Sir John A. Macdonald, Official report of the debates of the
House of Commons of the Dominion of Canada, 9 May 1883, 1107–1108
"If you don't go to school, your dad is going to jail."
"Why did you let us go? Why didn't you stop them?"
"The priest said it was the law; we had to go."
A father told his daughter four things when they came to take her, "Remember who you are. Do not forget your language.
Be strong, and learn about the Indian Act so you can come back and teach me."
The First Peoples have lived in harmony with the Land for over 10,000 years.
The First Nations have complex social and political systems. The Anishinaabeg people live by the Seven Grandfather Teachings, Love, Respect, Bravery, Truth, Honesty, Humility, and Wisdom.
When the Colonisers came, they came for the Land, not to become one with the Land.
The First People stood in the way of the Colonists who wanted to profit from the Land.
Through a structure of ever-changing laws like the Doctrine of Discovery and the Indian Act, the Colonists took the Land and the Children of the First Peoples.
Systematically the culture, heritage, and history of the First Peoples were being suppressed.
More than 150,000 Children between the ages of four and sixteen were taken and sent to Residential Schools where their culture, heritage, and traditions were destroyed. A great many Children suffered and died at these Institutions.
Laws and politics were used to obstruct the First Nations' attempts to maintain their way of life.
The Indian Act aimed to eliminate First Nations culture and assimilate the First Peoples into Euro-Canadian culture.
"Kill the Indian, save the man."
In the face of all these atrocities, the First People resisted and were resilient. They acted according to the Seven Grandfather Teachings.
Despite the land theft and cultural genocide, the Indigenous continue to oppose assimilation.
The Indigenous have a long history of survival, and resistance continues to shape their identity in the face of government-sanctioned systemic oppression.
But I didn't know! I wasn't taught! It's in the past!
We must never hide in our ignorance or turn our backs. Instead, we will act according to the Seven Grandfather Teachings.
Preserving tradition is not only a form of resistance but an ongoing opportunity to create a dialogue of inclusion and healing.
The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada established 94 Calls To Action; to date, only 5 of those 94 are complete. So we have a long way to go.
One hundred sixty-five years of trauma will not take 165 years to heal.
Can we become examples of how to recognize, repair, and rebuild our relationships with the First Peoples of this Land? Can our efforts and actions become a beacon to the world?
No longer will laws and political power be used to obstruct the Truth and Reconciliation process.
We must stand fast in the face of any resistance to restore the culture, tradition, and rights of the Indigenous People of this Land.
With respect and attention, we will heal these wounds. Our actions will speak louder than our words.
We commit to inclusion, respectful consultation, and equitable relationships with the Indigenous Peoples of these Lands.
We will act according to the Seven Grandfather Teachings.
Feeling Venezia
J.T. Wahlberg
I saw Venice, and I felt Venezia. There was no McDonald's, no Gucci. The lack of tourists made it possible to feel the local life in Cannaregio. Smiles were genuine and given freely. Venetians looked at me like I was lost. They were willing and eager to help me discover something new about Venezia and me beyond the must-see sights listed in my Ultimate Venice Travel Guide. The experience was about being here and less about getting there or anywhere. Sitting in Sullalun Libreria and Bistrot, I slipped back in time while sipping an espresso. My smartphone was in airplane mode in my pocket. It did not belong here. This connection was local and beyond cyberspace. If I became physically lost, I would be spiritually found.
The cafe owner saw a customer outside exchanging pleasantries with a gentleman. She started to prepare an espresso. A small pastry was placed in a brown paper bag. A friendly greeting was exchanged when the woman entered the cafe. The ladies' smiles were big, and their emotions palpable. In three quick sips, the espresso was gone, the pastry placed in the woman's reusable grocery bag at home beside an eggplant and a loaf of fresh bread. I felt like I was in an era when plastic bags had not yet been invented, and if they had been, they were not welcome in Venezia. No money exchanged hands. The transaction took place through their words, smiles, and laughter. The tab would be settled at a later date. The cafe owner would probably be on the receiving end during their subsequent encounter.
Time was irrelevant in this quiet cafe. Although time marched on, it held less importance since I crossed over the Ponte dei Tre Archi from Venice into Venezia. I looked over the books on the shelves. I did not read Italian or understand the language beyond ciao and Grazie. A children's book caught my eye. Flashing back to my childhood, I was once again turning the pages of a book with words written in it that I could not understand. There was no frustration; I admired the illustrations of brightly coloured fish and made up my own story. The cafe owner glanced my way, and our eyes met; she smiled and quickly went back to polishing her espresso machine. She knew that I was unable to read the children's book. I am sure she could sense that I sincerely appreciated the love and skill that went into the beautiful book. In this part of Venezia, there was no need to share a common language. Our energy through our eyes and smiles was all we needed to convey our thoughts.
Hours could have slipped past in the cafe. I refused to look at my watch and was not going to pull out my smartphone. I rose from my chair; my movements were unintentionally slow. I was pushing through time like wading through a shallow pool.
There was no hurry; no one had rushed in, around, or through this cafe for decades.
The euros that I pulled out of my pocket seemed out of place. I had no idea how much my espresso cost, so I smiled at the cafe owner and handed her a five euro note. Could it be more expensive than that? She smiled and pressed some coins into my palm. I thanked her in English and put the change on her small counter. The cafe owner looked at me strangely, smiled again and nodded.
Simultaneously there was everything to see and nowhere to go. I had shared these moments with the cafe owner and everyone who had come before me and would come here after I had left. As I wandered out of the cafe, the sun was much higher in the sky. Standing on Fondamenta Misericordia, I looked up to let the sun warm my cheeks. Follow the warmth; I would follow the sun. There was no right or wrong direction. There was no time except the present. There was Venice to see and Venezia to feel.
Rise
While the landscape of my work environment has changed, my approach to success has not.
My perspective drives results.
These challenges are an opportunity to do better.
I will rise to this new challenge.
Greatness in my work and everything that I do is achieved through determination and discipline. My positive attitude foster's my growth mindset and is an example to others.
My perspective drives results.
How I do anything is how I do everything. The relentless pursuit of my goal is the rule, not the exception. This is within my power, within my control. The only easy day was yesterday.
My perspective drives results.
While the landscape of my work environment has changed, my approach to success has not.
My mindset is in my control.
These challenges are an opportunity to do better. I will rise to this new challenge. Greatness in my work and everything I do is achieved through determination and discipline. My positive attitude foster's my growth mentality and is an example to others.
My mindset is in my control.
How I do anything is how I do everything. The relentless pursuit of my goal is the rule, not the exception. This is within my power, within my control. The only easy day was yesterday.
My mindset is in my control.
While the landscape of my work environment has changed, my approach to success has not.
I will find an excuse to succeed.
These challenges are an opportunity to do better. I will rise to this new challenge. Greatness in my work and everything I do is achieved through determination and discipline. My positive attitude fosters my growth mindset and is an example to others.
I will find an excuse to succeed.
How I do anything is how I do everything. The relentless pursuit of my goal is the rule, not the exception. This is within my power, within my control. The only easy day was yesterday.
I will find an excuse to succeed.
Success Together
We are more than the sum of our individual efforts.
Our commitment to each other has ensured our success.
Dedication and determination provided us with the opportunity to grow.
Let us pause to reflect on our journey; it is a cause for celebration.
We have and will continue to create positive outcomes for those we serve.
We are more than formulas and figures.
Anything worth doing is worth overdoing; our patients always deserve this.
A little thought has taken us on a grand adventure.
We adapted, we improvised, and we overcame.
The impossible has become possible through our hard work.
In striving for perfection, we have attained excellence and approval.
We are more than research and development, more than operations.
We are family, and therein lies our success.
Dream and Risk
I took a risk, I dared to dream, and I dared to dream big; without risk, there is no reward.
So my purpose expanded, and my ambition increased.
My pursuit grew more significant than any one individual.
So I became us, and we took on the objective.
Our commitment is clear.
We leave no patient behind.
We are Health X
Many of our goals have been met.
Much has been accomplished.
Through our commitment to excellence, our patients, and each other, we move forward together, always.
Now we must dare ourselves to finish well.
Our commitment is clear.
We leave no patient behind.
We are Health X.
Aggressively Average Content on Medium
J.T. Wahlberg
"When the school is on the reserve, the child lives with its parents, who are savages;
he is surrounded by savages, and though he may learn to read and write his habits,
and training and mode of thought are Indian. He is simply a savage who can read and
write. It has been strongly pressed on myself, as the head of the Department, that the Indian
children should be withdrawn as much as possible from the parental influence, and the only
way to do that would be to put them in central training industrial schools where they will
acquire the habits and modes of thought of white men."
— Prime Minister Sir John A. Macdonald, Official report of the debates of the
House of Commons of the Dominion of Canada, 9 May 1883, 1107–1108
"If you don't go to school, your dad is going to jail."
"Why did you let us go? Why didn't you stop them?"
"The priest said it was the law; we had to go."
A father told his daughter four things when they came to take her, "Remember who you are. Do not forget your language.
Be strong, and learn about the Indian Act so you can come back and teach me."
The First Peoples have lived in harmony with the Land for over 10,000 years.
The First Nations have complex social and political systems. The Anishinaabeg people live by the Seven Grandfather Teachings, Love, Respect, Bravery, Truth, Honesty, Humility, and Wisdom.
When the Colonisers came, they came for the Land, not to become one with the Land.
The First People stood in the way of the Colonists who wanted to profit from the Land.
Through a structure of ever-changing laws like the Doctrine of Discovery and the Indian Act, the Colonists took the Land and the Children of the First Peoples.
Systematically the culture, heritage, and history of the First Peoples were being suppressed.
More than 150,000 Children between the ages of four and sixteen were taken and sent to Residential Schools where their culture, heritage, and traditions were destroyed. A great many Children suffered and died at these Institutions.
Laws and politics were used to obstruct the First Nations' attempts to maintain their way of life.
The Indian Act aimed to eliminate First Nations culture and assimilate the First Peoples into Euro-Canadian culture.
"Kill the Indian, save the man."
In the face of all these atrocities, the First People resisted and were resilient. They acted according to the Seven Grandfather Teachings.
Despite the land theft and cultural genocide, the Indigenous continue to oppose assimilation.
The Indigenous have a long history of survival, and resistance continues to shape their identity in the face of government-sanctioned systemic oppression.
But I didn't know! I wasn't taught! It's in the past!
We must never hide in our ignorance or turn our backs. Instead, we will act according to the Seven Grandfather Teachings.
Preserving tradition is not only a form of resistance but an ongoing opportunity to create a dialogue of inclusion and healing.
The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada established 94 Calls To Action; to date, only 5 of those 94 are complete. So we have a long way to go.
One hundred sixty-five years of trauma will not take 165 years to heal.
Can we become examples of how to recognize, repair, and rebuild our relationships with the First Peoples of this Land? Can our efforts and actions become a beacon to the world?
No longer will laws and political power be used to obstruct the Truth and Reconciliation process.
We must stand fast in the face of any resistance to restore the culture, tradition, and rights of the Indigenous People of this Land.
With respect and attention, we will heal these wounds. Our actions will speak louder than our words.
We commit to inclusion, respectful consultation, and equitable relationships with the Indigenous Peoples of these Lands.
We will act according to the Seven Grandfather Teachings.
Feeling Venezia
J.T. Wahlberg
I saw Venice, and I felt Venezia. There was no McDonald's, no Gucci. The lack of tourists made it possible to feel the local life in Cannaregio. Smiles were genuine and given freely. Venetians looked at me like I was lost. They were willing and eager to help me discover something new about Venezia and me beyond the must-see sights listed in my Ultimate Venice Travel Guide. The experience was about being here and less about getting there or anywhere. Sitting in Sullalun Libreria and Bistrot, I slipped back in time while sipping an espresso. My smartphone was in airplane mode in my pocket. It did not belong here. This connection was local and beyond cyberspace. If I became physically lost, I would be spiritually found.
The cafe owner saw a customer outside exchanging pleasantries with a gentleman. She started to prepare an espresso. A small pastry was placed in a brown paper bag. A friendly greeting was exchanged when the woman entered the cafe. The ladies' smiles were big, and their emotions palpable. In three quick sips, the espresso was gone, the pastry placed in the woman's reusable grocery bag at home beside an eggplant and a loaf of fresh bread. I felt like I was in an era when plastic bags had not yet been invented, and if they had been, they were not welcome in Venezia. No money exchanged hands. The transaction took place through their words, smiles, and laughter. The tab would be settled at a later date. The cafe owner would probably be on the receiving end during their subsequent encounter.
Time was irrelevant in this quiet cafe. Although time marched on, it held less importance since I crossed over the Ponte dei Tre Archi from Venice into Venezia. I looked over the books on the shelves. I did not read Italian or understand the language beyond ciao and Grazie. A children's book caught my eye. Flashing back to my childhood, I was once again turning the pages of a book with words written in it that I could not understand. There was no frustration; I admired the illustrations of brightly coloured fish and made up my own story. The cafe owner glanced my way, and our eyes met; she smiled and quickly went back to polishing her espresso machine. She knew that I was unable to read the children's book. I am sure she could sense that I sincerely appreciated the love and skill that went into the beautiful book. In this part of Venezia, there was no need to share a common language. Our energy through our eyes and smiles was all we needed to convey our thoughts.
Hours could have slipped past in the cafe. I refused to look at my watch and was not going to pull out my smartphone. I rose from my chair; my movements were unintentionally slow. I was pushing through time like wading through a shallow pool.
There was no hurry; no one had rushed in, around, or through this cafe for decades.
The euros that I pulled out of my pocket seemed out of place. I had no idea how much my espresso cost, so I smiled at the cafe owner and handed her a five euro note. Could it be more expensive than that? She smiled and pressed some coins into my palm. I thanked her in English and put the change on her small counter. The cafe owner looked at me strangely, smiled again and nodded.
Simultaneously there was everything to see and nowhere to go. I had shared these moments with the cafe owner and everyone who had come before me and would come here after I had left. As I wandered out of the cafe, the sun was much higher in the sky. Standing on Fondamenta Misericordia, I looked up to let the sun warm my cheeks. Follow the warmth; I would follow the sun. There was no right or wrong direction. There was no time except the present. There was Venice to see and Venezia to feel.
Rise
While the landscape of my work environment has changed, my approach to success has not.
My perspective drives results.
These challenges are an opportunity to do better.
I will rise to this new challenge.
Greatness in my work and everything that I do is achieved through determination and discipline. My positive attitude foster's my growth mindset and is an example to others.
My perspective drives results.
How I do anything is how I do everything. The relentless pursuit of my goal is the rule, not the exception. This is within my power, within my control. The only easy day was yesterday.
My perspective drives results.
While the landscape of my work environment has changed, my approach to success has not.
My mindset is in my control.
These challenges are an opportunity to do better. I will rise to this new challenge. Greatness in my work and everything I do is achieved through determination and discipline. My positive attitude foster's my growth mentality and is an example to others.
My mindset is in my control.
How I do anything is how I do everything. The relentless pursuit of my goal is the rule, not the exception. This is within my power, within my control. The only easy day was yesterday.
My mindset is in my control.
While the landscape of my work environment has changed, my approach to success has not.
I will find an excuse to succeed.
These challenges are an opportunity to do better. I will rise to this new challenge. Greatness in my work and everything I do is achieved through determination and discipline. My positive attitude fosters my growth mindset and is an example to others.
I will find an excuse to succeed.
How I do anything is how I do everything. The relentless pursuit of my goal is the rule, not the exception. This is within my power, within my control. The only easy day was yesterday.
I will find an excuse to succeed.
Success Together
We are more than the sum of our individual efforts.
Our commitment to each other has ensured our success.
Dedication and determination provided us with the opportunity to grow.
Let us pause to reflect on our journey; it is a cause for celebration.
We have and will continue to create positive outcomes for those we serve.
We are more than formulas and figures.
Anything worth doing is worth overdoing; our patients always deserve this.
A little thought has taken us on a grand adventure.
We adapted, we improvised, and we overcame.
The impossible has become possible through our hard work.
In striving for perfection, we have attained excellence and approval.
We are more than research and development, more than operations.
We are family, and therein lies our success.
Dream and Risk
I took a risk, I dared to dream, and I dared to dream big; without risk, there is no reward.
So my purpose expanded, and my ambition increased.
My pursuit grew more significant than any one individual.
So I became us, and we took on the objective.
Our commitment is clear.
We leave no patient behind.
We are Health X
Many of our goals have been met.
Much has been accomplished.
Through our commitment to excellence, our patients, and each other, we move forward together, always.
Now we must dare ourselves to finish well.
Our commitment is clear.
We leave no patient behind.
We are Health X.
Aggressively Average Content on Medium
