Welcome to this month’s BRAVE Interview with Dee Fournier!
WHO are you? My name is Dee Fournier. I’m an average 55-year-old woman. I grew up in the seaside town of Cape Elizabeth in Maine. I am one of 4 siblings. We lived in an upper middle class area where all the neighborhood kids played kick the can, hide and seek, and walked the quiet community streets in the summer evenings. In the winter we sledded, ice skated, and engaged in snowball fights to combat the winter blues. It was a very Norman Rockwell type of setting.
WHAT is your One Brave Thing? I haven’t yet embarked on my One Brave Thing, but I have made the decision to do One Brave Thing. I will be undertaking an incredible journey. I will be hiking the American Discovery Trail (ADT) … it’s a coast to coast trail – starting in Point Reyes CA to Cape Henlopen State Park in Delaware. From sea to shining sea!
WHEN did you do it? I will start my excursion on April 24, 2019
WHERE did it occur? It is about to happen!
HOW did you make it happen? I’m in the process of making it happen as I write this. The research and training have been “all time consuming”. Reaching out to businesses and individuals to donate to My GoFundMe (dee goes from trial to trail) is humbling to say the least. But am very proud of the friends that I am surrounded with … that have donated, that believe in what I’m about to take on.
WHY did you do it? My sister was killed by her estranged husband. Up until this point I used to say, ‘My sister was a victim of domestic violence’, but I no longer want to say that. Juli (my sister) was a vibrant, STRONG, witty and passionate person. To portray her has a victim is wrong to me. She died at the hands of her angry husband. He shot her multiple times. Since her death, I’ve wandered somewhat aimlessly. Lost my marriage, jumped from job to job, from city to city, from state to state … I knew there was something missing in my life and KNEW that I had to somehow make a difference. Make an effort to somehow help other women get out of a dangerous predicament.
As I walk along the ADT, my hope is to stop at women’s shelters along the way. Not to share my story, but to listen to theirs. To encourage them and let them know that they are not alone. That there are resources available for them to take advantage of.
I don’t pretend that I’m going to save every woman I meet. We know it’s a vicious cycle with women returning to their abuser. But if I can possibly help one woman THINK about not going back. To help one woman from going back that particular hour/day. It’s a positive step in the right direction.
After that, it turned out to be a day of sitting and flitting from couch to computer to kitchen (#ilovealliteration) … I took periodic forays off the couch to do whatever popped into my head to do. I flitted from one thing to the next to the next without censoring my thoughts or impulses.Keep reading
I started my blog because I love to travel and write. I’ve had incredible adventures while traveling and those experiences have convinced me that everyone should get out and explore the world.
Travel brings so many life lessons and unforgettable experiences.
I’ve been able to meet people around the world and have learned that everyone has a story to share. It saddens me that so many people miss out on opportunities like this. I hope that my blog inspires people to travel and gives them the confidence necessary to create life-changing memories.
Even though I love to travel, it can be intimidating. A couple of years ago, when I was newer to traveling, I had my first solo trip. I was heading to South Africa to volunteer at a children’s home I had been to with a group previously. This was already intimidating, but additionally, I had a layover for the whole day in London. I had always wanted to visit London and decided to use the layover time to explore the city. In order to do this, I had to figure out what I wanted to see and how to navigate the Tube (London’s Metro) to get there. This was something I was determined to do, but it was still intimidating.Keep reading
I am not sure when it happened, but at some point I realized that owls have special meaning to me. I love it when I notice them, and even more when they notice me.
Artemis, a saw-whet owl.
My husband and I took advantage of the Owl Prowl Series offered by The Center for Wildlife in York, Maine. About 35 people of all ages showed up for this talk even though it was only in the 30’s outside.
Lesson: Love of owls trumps cold weather.
It was held in a covered area, but we were still outside. I wished I had put on long underwear and that I had double-socked. Some people brought towels or blankets to sit on (those wood benches were cold!) but most of us just sucked it up and then forgot about the cold once the talk began and the ‘Owl Ambassadors’ came out to meet us. (Okay, full disclosure–my husband gave up his gloves for me to sit on … my bum was cold!!! 🙂 )Keep reading
So pay attention to the signs and symbols that come your way, or you might miss out on something important!
Karen Creamer
