When a young man named Cassidy of the N’Quatqua First Nation spoke at the Sea to Sky school board meeting last week, he stopped time.
The Grade 11 student from Pemberton came to Squamish to tell the members of the board about his recent trip to Ottawa as part of Encounters with Canada.
Wearing a ripped jean vest and a backwards baseball cap, Cassidy looked cool, aloof and maybe even a bit tough.
Then he spoke, his voice at first little more than a whisper.
The room full of adults was silent, captivated.
He told of how he was terrified to go on the plane – his first such trip – and almost didn’t show up, but decided to tackle his fear.
He told of how he hid with his headphones on, thinking no one would want to be friends with him. But then others on the trip, kids from across Canada who had been strangers before they were thrown together, asked him to hang out with them, so he did.
He went to his first NHL game and was the only one in the group standing up and cheering. “We got this, guys,” he yelled.
He spoke of how he loved skating on the Rideau Canal.
He didn’t love being asked by some girls to go shopping, he said, but he went and had a great time.
There was a talent show, and he agreed to dance, and was so scared he could barely move his legs. But he took to the stage. He said he explained to the crowd of new friends how shy he felt. He needed time, he told them. It took 10 minutes and then another boy got up on stage to encourage Cassidy.
He danced.
With his courage and endearing honesty, Cassidy taught the adults at the meeting last week a lesson.
Often we say we are fine, when we are not; we put up walls instead of letting people in. We say “no” more than “yes.” Some shame or bully or lord their experiences over others, afraid to let people see how shy and scared and alone they also feel.
Cassidy isn’t like that, at least not yet.
“This trip changed my life,” Cassidy said. “I am so grateful.”
He had no idea how much he had changed some of us.
