I plan to listen to this episode of All My Relations many times because I think it’s important for all of us to consider. Love is an important part of social justice work. In this episode, they talk about what love looks like, how love is multifaceted, the ways we prioritize one type of love over others, and how love has been colonized by white settlers.
I’ve been on a journey to explore what love means to me. I ask myself questions like, how can I love those I don’t agree with? How can I love and protect myself when the person I love is toxic or harmful? How can I love and maintain my boundaries? How can I make the love in my life exist without strings and judgment? What does love look like in my life and how do I envision love in my future? How do I prioritize my love and is that functional for me?
Love is something we all need, cherish, and desire in our lives. As Indigenous people, we have always known that being in good relation with people, creatures, and the land is integral to wellbeing. Western science is just catching up to discover what we have known for time immemorial. Indeed, love and relationships are arguably the most important things in life. As settler colonial trauma and violence such as boarding schools have damaged our ability to love we know it is important to discuss how we can heal. We all have different forms of ceremony to find love within ourselves and there are so many ways to love. Thus, in this episode, we ask how do we heal from historical trauma to love again?
I am feeling loved and cared for right now as I experience a bump in my journey. Are love and care in my life because I am lucky or did I create it (or likely a little of both)?