I have had numerous liberating experiences during my journey of awakening. I felt positive shifts with healing practitioners, through my personal meditation and reiki practices and some after undergoing painful incidents in various chapters of my life.  These painful experiences would have been much more difficult to endure if it was not for the tools I learned from amazing practitioners and the love and support from like-minded friends and family.

However, there were two profound shifts in my life that transformed me beyond all others. Both are related to the sudden passing of my younger sister, Darlene Doyle. On July 14, 1984 there was a fatal car accident in our home town of Northern Bay, Newfoundland. My sister, Darlene, and her friend Karen departed this life at the young ages of 11 and 12 respectively. It was a long road to healing for me for many reasons, but especially because the driver was impaired and I was carrying so much anger, judgement and blame.

After our beautiful son was born in 2001, my husband was pleasantly surprised to hear me singing lullabies.  He commented that my voice was beautiful and asked why in our nine years together had he never heard me sing.  That comment began my reflection and I realized that when Darlene passed my singing voice was silenced.

In 2005, I felt called to write a poem about my sister. Writing my words on paper removed a dense, heavy energy from my heart and I felt lighter and free!  I started singing more and more. At home first then at small gatherings and eventually in public.  I learned how to play guitar and became a performer joining a monthly show at the local theatre. That poem was the first major life-changing shift, however, I did not fully recognize its power at the time. 

I named the poem “DD” which I would later realize was not only an acronym for Darlene Doyle as originally intended, but also for Designated Driver and it just so happens that my uncle used the nickname DD frequently. All amazing synchronicities! I am sharing this poem publicly for the first time- [READ POEM HERE].

The second life-changing shift occurred during a profound meditation fourteen years later in 2019.  I spent a week vacationing with my brother in London Ontario.  We visited a sea salt spa hand and foot detox meditation room. I experienced an incredibly deep liberating meditation during which I released resentment, hate, blame, guilt, and anger.  I offered full forgiveness to the young man that was driving the vehicle that day.  I felt Darlene with me and her absolute joy when I was able to offer unconditional love, compassion, and forgiveness. The space it freed was filled with light, peace, and unconditional love. Since then, I have been living more free and confident. Forgiveness had set me free.