taking time...

Thank you all for joining me again this week! This weeks post has a bit of a different feel. I want to celebrate the life of a recently lost friend. You've probably noticed that I don't use names in my posts but today I am!

I met Danielle Terrance maybe 2 years ago. She was friends with Michael Oxley and I later learned she was friends and a co-worker with other friends of mine. It is a small world! Michael has always been a wonderful cheerleader for me as a hairstylist and he sent Danielle in to see me.

I'm a professional I can find a way to "click" with alot of different types of people but it wasn't hard to "click" with Danielle! What an infectious and easy laugh! It was like we had known each other for a long time.

What took longer to uncover was how BRILLIANT  and GIVING she was!! I wouldn't say modest because she was happy to talk about her work but, maybe modest in the downplayed WAY she talked about it!!

I know I don't know her whole story but here is what I DO know.

Danielle was a Native American (Mohawk) woman in her mid 30's. I find Native cultures very interesting and we would talk about different things. I always knew that her ethnicity, her culture, and her people were very important to her but not the ONLY thing about her!! So we also discussed everyday life- for better or worse lol
Danielle was a college student, I think she finished her masters and was getting ready for Ph.d, She also worked at OSU and taught a class on plurality at Columbus State all the while having a part time job at The Home Depot. She was a strong woman with a bold vision! AND she actually took action!!

She grew up partly in Buffalo, NY and partly on the Reservation. She knew first hand how few opportunities were available to Native people especially girls. In itself it was an amazing feat to have studied at Cornell and OSU but I began to realize she had a much greater mission!

Danielle always had funny stories about her trips around the country, mostly out west.Again I began to realize what she was doing. I'm not sure which organization she was working with but she was going to reservations and talking to kids about the importance of education and how to get it!!! As a Native American. Teaching them and their tribal leaders about keeping their culture strong and still getting into the world and having opportunities!!!
I am so blessed to have known such an amazing, intelligent, enjoyable, humble and giving person!! She truly knew how to blend her CAREER PATH and her LIFE PATH!
I remember telling her all about my recent visit to the Smithsonian American Indian museum!She listened to detail after detail! (I LOVE that museum! You should def check it out!) She smiled and said she had been asked to be the liason / assistant to the President of the museum for the opening week! hahahaha I laughed my ass off! Here I am telling HER and she was there from the beginning!!

A month or so before Danielle's initial cancer diagnosis she was in for a haircut and excitedly showed me a book. It was about integrating Native Americans into college life. SHE HAD BEEN ASKED TO WRITE AN ENTIRE CHAPTER! PUBLISHED!! What an accomplishment!

For sometime she had been telling me about a job interview she had on the reservation. While she was there her cousin, a secretary in the tribal office, told her about another job! Long story short- she also applied for DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION for her tribe. THIS. WAS. BIG!.
The next time I saw her she had 2 pieces of news for me. SHE GOT THE JOB!! and would be moving in a month or so. I love when my friends succeed!! I love when life takes them along their hard worked for path!! I would miss her but was SO happy for her! We even planned a shopping trip the next time I was in Syracuse! So Danielle!
The second bit of news was... she had ovarian cancer. This was April 2013.
We cried and laughed. We made plans for a haircutting party... and cried a little again.
Her cancer diagnosis changed and became more dire. Her medical story is too long and really not the point. I went to the hospital a few times to style her hair and to chat... or just sit when her pain meds kicked in and she would drift off.
 Her family came down from Buffalo in small groups, going from optimistic to realistic in a short amount of time. The Columbus friends tried to chip in to help with gas money and we were trying to plan a caravan to take her back home for treatment.
The Tribal Leader of the Reservation said they would wait for her! She was the one they wanted.
When it became clear that Danielle had a very dire prognosis they stepped in and paid for her have a medical helicopter transport back to her family in Buffalo. This had to have been immensely expensive and once again showed how important and respected she was.

Danielle died this week  surrounded by her family and knowing that she had lived well. She accomplished what she set out to do! She worked SO hard for her mission and she saw it beginning to happen!

I admired Danielle from the start and I believe MANY people did! Because of her work she has built a strong foundation for others to build on. Education and knowledge of opportunities for ALL Native Americans. What a legacy.May we all live so well and so boldly.

I hope you all have an inspiring and intentional week!! If its not so great don't feel defeated! It just means there are more steps to go in your process of figuring out what you want and how to get it!!! ENJOY THE PROCESS. ENJOY LIFE ;-)