Strangers in our family, Strangers inside ourselves

After almost 20 years together, my sister Mary and her husband decided to formalize and have my Uncle Father Lloyd bless their union. It was beautiful and special.

I don't like to travel but I went to the Dominican Republic to be with them on their special day. Sheila and my children, William and Sarah, went as well.

Duncan's family comes from the west coast of Canada and my family comes from the east coast and although some in the family had met each other most hadn't.

The trip included Mary & Duncan, their two children and 40 other people many of whom hadn't met. It was a wonderful spiritual experience to see two families separated by distance, blend so quickly and so firmly.

While I was there, I wrote this:



Stephen King recently wrote "inside every man is a stranger." I think that's true. There are parts of every man, woman and child's mind, experience and personality that remains a stranger, a mystery.

A funny thing happened, at least to me, on this wonderful wedding excursion. I found that I let my stranger that lives inside me experience this special place and these special people.

I let my stranger talk to Ruffie's stranger and I came away from that conversation not only knowing him a little better but knowing the stranger inside me a little better as well.

A little while before young Katie's third birthday party, I had a chat that I will remember for the rest of my life. I talked to Camille.

It was a beautiful moment.

I was sitting down on the grass and looking up into her beautiful eyes and beautiful face. I let the stranger inside me participate in our little "get to know each other" chat.

Camille said that she loved the way that my family got along so well together.

Instead of letting Peter E. O'Neill esq. comment on that, without full disclosure, I was honest.

I said, "it's not always like that."

The stranger inside me said "I come from a family with strong personalities."

When we love, we love fiercely.

When we battle, we battle fiercely, but when it's really important, we can put it aside; no matter what!

Camille paused before she said anything and lowered her head slightly and if I had not been sitting on the grass, looking up, I would have missed the mischievous glint in those beautiful eyes as she said softly,

"Sounds like my family."

Camille wheeled away from that conversation and I walked away, but I walked away knowing the stranger inside me a whole lot better.

Thank you very much Camille and thank you Mary, Duncan, Connor and Maggie for giving us a chance to meet the people that have been part of our family for almost two decades.

Family since then, strangers no longer.

In giving us this wonderful period of time, space and love, I think that we have all learned a little more about the strangers in ourselves.

May God Bless us and keep us well.

My First Real Kiss.

I don't know if I ever told this story to anyone but, I am at a point that I can reflect on my first real kiss without looking back at it in pain.

I was about 12 – 13 years old when I went to visit my relatives in my father's home town of Mulgrave.

I was a strange fellow, still am. Never did quite grow out of that. I don't think I ever will. At least I hope I don't.

I liked girls but I think I was too nervous and I think odd, so much so, that the girls in school never took much notice of me.

When I went to Mulgrave, I met a girl that seemed to like me for me. She had beautiful auburn hair and pale skin that I can see in my mind's eye even to this day.

We were just kids and I had played kissing games a little before, but this was different. Scarlet wanted to kiss me because she liked me. We were in a grove off of a path, my cousin was there and a couple of other people.

We kissed. It was the innocent, precious kiss of two kids that were becoming young adults. Nothing like the rutting of teenagers or young people exploring their sensuality or sexuality, it was sweet.

I was down the next summer, but didn't see her. Our paths didn't cross.

The next summer, my cousin came to stay in Miramichi for a couple of weeks. I was still sweet on this young lady and I asked about her.

In kind of an offhand, matter of fact way, my cousin told me that she had killed herself. She was probably 14 at the time.

According to my cousin, her parents were religious and didn't want her to go to dances or out with a crowd that included boys and wanted her to attend a particular church weekend with the family.

She didn't want to go and stayed home. When her parents returned home that weekend, she had taken her life. Why, I don't know and I won't ever know.

Some things are just above my pay grade.

What I do know is that, I would have loved to have seen her radiant face and hair one more time. Maybe even stolen another kiss? Time, space, distance and circumstances didn't allow that.

She was a pretty young lady and would have grown into a beautiful woman. That didn't happen but I know she is somewhere in the peace, love and thought of the Universe.

Dance with the Great Spirit Scarlet,

From now on, Scarlet, I'll look back with only fondness; when you dance with the Great Spirit and all my friends, say hello for me. They are all as nice as you.