Arbitration and Gratitude.
Day 360 of the Cornwall bypass…
If you can avoid it, don’t ever go to court. I’m not saying this to scare you away from confronting things that are wrong in our society — but man court really sucks.
I’m grateful it’s over and I’d do it again in a heartbeat if I had to — but I never want to have to again.
Our arbitration started on Monday with the government’s case and witnesses. An arbitration is essentially court light. The lawyers are not gowned and although when you testify you are giving evidence, there aren’t any objections etc., so you are permitted to speak in your own voice.
That said, you have the distinct privilege of listening to exactly what the other side thinks and feels of your position. My lawyer warned me beforehand that being in court was an emotional rollercoaster and he didn’t undersell the experience one little bit.
I got to hear about how greedy our family was, how much I loved media attention and how little HJC deserved. Some of which we got the chance to refute and some of which gets to just remain out in public awareness and we get to come to terms with.
“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”
~Theodore Roosevelt Paris, 1910
Mostly, after my time in this particular arena, I’m grateful and exhausted. It’s done, and finally after a year of what feels like shouting into a void, the government was forced to hear us. That, in and of itself, feels like a win.
And I find myself more than anything, grateful.
I’m grateful for the number of people near and far who have reached out to lend their support while we were off daring greatly they were all right there beside us cheering us on… There were people who came to support our family every single day in that court room and who stayed for every hour. There were people who sent me messages reminding me how strong I am but more than that they reminded me who I am and what we are fighting for… There were the people who jumped in to do double duty with the ponies or who took the pooch out and made sure things stayed copesetic on the homefront, so I could focus on the task in front of me... There were all of our clients who sacrificed their time at HJC this week so I could attend to this matter to the best of my ability and who have been so patient in waiting for answers…There were our witnesses, some of which were on the stand for over 5 hours getting pummelled with questions… There was our legal team who led us confidently by the hand when we were floundering at the low end of one of those rollercoaster turns… Then there were my parents — people who have put an awful lot on the line for HJC, standing valiantly and fighting along side me… To all of you, every single one, I am exceptionally grateful. You took something which could have been isolating and turned it into a team effort.
Under the Arbitration Act Madam Justice has the legal right to take upward of 3 months to render her decision. She indicated as our case had been adjourned that she would try her best to have a decision by late July, for this too I am grateful
Friends, we left it all on the dance floor and soon we will understand for the first time in a year, exactly what we can expect.
We are still HJC and I believe we are all going to grow from this experience.
One more month.
❤ E.
