Vanier Hoes…

Bags packed…I’ve already stepped into the next chapter, but today I’m nostalgic.

They say you become the five people you spend the most time with. For the last five years, I spent most of that time alone. My circle was small, elite, sacred, and mostly internal. Observation became my teacher.

I wandered the streets of Vanier with headphones in, somewhere between survival and surrender. The sidewalks, the Rideau River, and the cemetery became my confessionals and my office. Quiet became my closest friend. Coffee and minding my business were my rituals.

At that time, I was coming out of something intimate that left me questioning myself. If you sleep with a hoe, does that make you one too?

For the record, there is nothing wrong with being one. It just wasn’t the story I wanted for myself. I’ve spent most of my life being teased for holding onto fairytale, old-school ideals. But in that stage of my evolution, I was learning that there’s no separation and energy doesn’t lie.

So was I a hoe?

The moment I started wondering, my reality mirrored it back. Every time I stepped outside, someone asked if I was “workin”. The universe really does have a twisted sense of humor.

Turns out, the lesson was never about him or I being hoes. It was about me learning to see my worth without reflection, without applause, without needing to be chosen. I’m so grateful to be here now.

I have already said my goodbyes to Vanier. Made my peace. I am traveling now, not entirely sure where I will land, but I feel steady. Gratitude keeps me grounded. Every lesson, every walk, every version of me that lived there built this one.

I’m definitely not the same hoe I was five years ago. lolol

I would not be me without Vanier.

To be continued…