After experiencing intense emotions during a week on the Magpie River, it was now time to return home and resume normal life … with lots of new friends and an array of tools to address to new challenges.
In order to arrive on time in Quebec City for everyone to take flights or buses to go home, we left Sept-Îles before sunrise, around 5 am, after another short night. Because it is difficult to leave after creating such intense ties, several participants stretched the evening until the early hours yesterday, watching a movie or playing cards. Roya, Anthony and Diego even had a sleepless night … playing a game of Monopoly until 4 am!
Once on the bus, everyone took the opportunity to catch some sleep. As we were able to take a small lead, we stopped in Tadoussac for a small farewell ceremony sharing a few symbolic actions.
On the beach in front of the Tadoussac Marina, Mario and Catherine from the Foundation, made a “tree of life” with pieces of wood collected at the bottom of the Women Fall on the Magpie River. On each of the pieces of wood, one could see the word that each participant had chosen to describe the expedition two days earlier. A nice and significant memorabilia!
Then Catherine took out the “lifeline”, a red string that represents the ties that unite us now. Each participant was able to keep a small piece of rope in the form of a bracelet to remember the event.
Finally, each participant received a diploma to mark the feat they had achieved. “Few people undertake such expeditions, and you have risen to the challenge with flying colours,” said Marc-André Galbrand, facilitator for the On the Tip of the Toes Foundation. On the diploma, you could read a Mark Twain quote that reflects the journey: “They did not know it was impossible, so they did.”
Then, the group made a quick visit of Tadoussac before returning to Quebec. Upon leaving, the emotions were very intense, tears of joy and sadness too. A nice demonstration of the importance of such a trip, where each of the participants were able to expand their own comfort zone to regain control over their lives.
“When we return home from an expedition, we realize that nothing has changed. It is each of us who have changed from within, ‘concluded Mario Bilodeau, co-founder of the Foundation