Beyond Boundaries · Essays and tidbits from Nancy Bo Flood
On December 17th, I introduced to my readers the visionary document, The Universal Declaration of Human Rights. I asked, “What if during this holiday time of gifts and family, food and laughter, you could give to every child—or even one child—the gift of safety, of being with family, having a home, a full tummy with…
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“In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies but the silence of our friends.” —Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. I often re-read these words spoken by Martin Luther King, Jr., “the silence of our friends,” and reflect on my own silence. Today someone stood at the stoplight holding a cardboard sign.…
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World Day of Peace is remembered … celebrated … imagined … every January 1st. January 1, 2020, this new decade began with a World Day of Peace. I took out a recent photo taken of the simple but unforgettable statue of Anne Frank, which stands near her final home in the Secret Annex, Amsterdam. I…
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An homage to storytelling in Thunder Bay, Ontario, quoting from “The Dimness of Mothers and Daughters,” by Marilyn Dumont. From the plaque (because it may be hard to read): “This is a story shaped by you As big as your words or As long as your sentences This is your story Even though you haven’t…
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What rights do children have? If you could, what rights would you give to every child—every child—during this sacred time of year? Imagine this, the United Nations in December of 1948 proclaimed that all people, every child and grown-up—no matter where they lived, who they were—would have rights allowing them to live free and equal.…
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I became absorbed with Vincent van Gogh’s paintings at “his” museum in Amsterdam. I had never seen his work close-up in person. Such rich color, such captured energy. And faces of old people or exhausted farmers that looked back at you as if they could see your soul while you were gazing into theirs. The…
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“Sometimes a tree can tell you more than can be read in a book.” —Carl Jung Do trees make sound? Do they talk amongst themselves? Do they talk to us? What do they tell us? The season of the year? Their life story? The tale of the surrounding community? Here are a few photos from…
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Times have greatly changed the rules for writing in children’s literature. Sex is okay but periods … maybe. Swearing, exploring gender identity, exploring sexuality – go right ahead. But spirituality? Tip-toe with caution.
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