Sometimes… Life takes us on an unexpected journey !

On January 15th, I embarked on an adventure that would change my life. A few weeks earlier, a friend shared a Class on Climate Change. A Free Online Class, offered by Western University in Ontario.

I met Phyllis at our first dinner organized at our Community Hall. It was actually her daughter Emily, who introduced me. As soon as I pronounced my name, she said… Ah Mylène, there you are at last! It often happens like this in our small rural seaside community. Phyllis already knew me. Our very nice neighbors, Kim & Larry, had already told her about us : )

Here, on the South Shores of Nova Scotia, connections seems to happen by magic. There must be something in the water. Something beautiful and good that make people want to share, sometimes a long conversation, sometimes a few words, the profound gratitude of living here!

But let’s return to this Class, which has transformed the last two months. Connecting for Climate Change Action. For 12 weeks, we are invited to develop our understanding of Climate Changes through Euro-Western and Indigenous lenses and to find our way to our own role in this universal battle, that knows no boundaries.

Throughout the course, 4 concepts serve as our guides in this learning adventure.

• Two-Eyed Seeing (Coined by The Mi’kmaq Elders)
• Positionnality (How our identity influences our vision of the World and of Climate Change)
• Reciprocity (Respect, Gratitude & Mutual Responsability)
• Seven Generations (Learn from our Elders, Care for others today and for the Future Generations.

But, excuse me, I should have introduced myself!

I am Mylène…

My ancestors were settlers who came to Turtle Island, primarily from France in 1650, some from England and Ireland a few years later.

I was born and raised in the suburbs of Montreal, on the unceded lands of N’dakina (Abenaki), near the unceded territories of Kanien’keha:ka (Mohawks).

We recently moved to Nova Scotia, on the unceded Mi’kmaq Territory and are part of The Peace and Friendship Treaty, to live The Dream of a slower and more creative life, on the shores of the Ocean.

I am Québécoise & Canadian by birth and Nova Scotian at heart!

Since the day we made Nova Scotia our haven of peace, since I wake up every morning with the sun between sky and sea, since I have the joy of living close to the most magnificent beaches, since post-tropical storm Lee, since we saw the damage done to our beloved Hirtle’s Beach, since we saw the waves dangerously close to the house of our new neighbors and friends, since all of that and more… I feel the responsibility to do my part to preserve this Paradise that we are just starting to love.

Balance is fragile and we all know it !

This Class, which came to me somehow by chance on a beautiful winter day, was simply a path that I had to take.

I have learned a lot. I got a better understanding of how and why Climate Change is already happening. What surprised me the most, was how little I knew about the Indigenous People who have preceded us, here on Turtle Island.

I cannot summarize in just a few lines all this new baggage of knowledge, but also of hope, I have accumulated over the past two months, but I can tell you that we are all responsible. I also learned that there are no small or useless action. I have learned that it’s not about being perfect and always doing the right thing, but about taking the time to think of our daily actions and finding how we can all do our part!

We must talk about it and never stop… So that life continues to be wonderful here on the beautiful coasts of Nova Scotia and so that everyone gets to live a life on our amazing Planet!

Simply because… We have no other choice!

Last week, I was working with CANVA and my attention was taken by two photo filters, whose names Outrun & Heatwave, seemed to be spot on for the topic of climate change. I couldn’t help to apply these filters to the photos I had taken on the beach and in the snow.

Not only did the result appear artistically interesting to me, but I was struck by the apocalyptic feel of the new images. Wire flowers. Sand. Water. It felt like looking at an x-ray of the earth. These are the images that I shared on my Instagram page last week, which I am sharing with you today.

I am not paid to promote this Class. I am doing it because I believe that each of us, in our own way, can make a difference.

I encourage you to check out the C4CCA website. The summer session starts on May 6th and runs until July 29th, 2024.

And take action for our planet!

Before nothing gets to grow…