Day 4: Just Like Uno Flip!

Day 4 already! We wake up at dawn to enjoy the day and have some time in nature before everyone goes back to their respective lives. I love the light that comes before sunrise—the glow, the blue sky, combined with the campfire and the smell of coffee—it wakes you up gently!

           Crying with laughter
Serge, Charles, and Éric are making breakfast while the participants take down the tents. I hear laughter in the distance. I think this is one of the expeditions where I’ve heard the most laughter, laughed myself, and even cried from laughing. It was liberating, and I’m still fascinated by how being outdoors so quickly makes us feel connected, bonded, and comfortable being ourselves.

Savoring every moment
Today, I feel like our day was both simple and grand at the same time, and that every little moment was savored fully: the last moment of contemplation, the last camping meal, the last group photo, the last moment on the water, etc.

What an accomplishment
The return to the Air-Eau-Bois outdoor base goes smoothly. We had a race between the Foundation team and the participants—the girls won hands down!

We head back up to the Lodge, each one taking the time to unpack and repack, take a shower, and do whatever they need to feel ready for what’s next. Once everything is ready for departure, we gather outside to celebrate our accomplishments. Each participant receives a short note about what was appreciated from her presence during the expedition, along with her Foundation certificate. Victory! I see the pride in their eyes, and that image is worth a thousand words.

Just Like Uno Flip!
The bus arrives. I’m not leaving with the group. So I take a last moment with each of them, and then they leave for a long road home. As I watch them go, I remember the moment when they were playing Uno Flip! this morning.

When you play Uno Flip!, the cards are double-sided. There’s a card that lets you “flip” the game. When that card is put on the table, everyone turns their cards around and continues the game with a new hand. I smile. That image stays with me.

I feel like this expedition we just lived through is like Uno Flip! The same life, but with new cards, new perspectives, a new chosen family, new possibilities, and new points of reference. It moves me to think about it and write it down. I find it so important and so precious. I hope everyone from this expedition will remember that without changing the game, we can still flip our cards and live the same experience in a whole new way.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart
I’ll end my blog sequence by thanking the Foundation team and everyone who gives so that these experiences can exist. I also thank the volunteers on the medical team: Sophie, Jessie, and Caroline; the facilitators Ève-Marie and Marie-Michelle; and the logisticians Charles, Éric, and Serge. Your contribution is important and extremely meaningful.

I also thank, from the bottom of my heart, all the participants: Liz, Jessica, Katherine, Leah, Amy, Isabelle, Colleen, Myriam, and Monica. Thank you for being fully yourselves. You will remain in my heart, and for the harder days, I say to you: Barn Dance! 😉

I’ll leave you with a photo of me crying with laughter! As a reminder, that’s the real richness!

See you soon, I hope!

Genevièv