Dear Boundless Families:
Two thousand and seventy three years ago, Julius Caesar and his army considered crossing the Rubicon river, a key strategic border between France and Rome back in the day. To do so would be a declaration of war against his rival Pompei. No army was ever permitted beyond the Rubicon. Once crossed, you cannot undo the act itself.
As the story goes, Caesar dipped his toes into the river and declared, “let the dice be cast.” In today’s parlance, Crossing the Rubicon means “no turning back, we are committed.” It implies great risk and huge sacrifice.
I spent time last night with your kids last night exploring this concept. We looked at Rosa Parks. Nelson Mandela. Taylor Swift and Edward Snowden as examples. I asked the students if coming to Boundless was a Rubicon moment for them, and if they could conjure future Rubicon moments for themselves, what would those be?
The answers were thoughtful, and revealed hopes and aspirations for all to hear.
I am struck by this particular group. I have seen many in our boarding school over the decades. None seem so connected as this one. Every soul, new and old, has already found some measure of peace here. This is so fast. Perhaps too fast to trust. But nothing can hide the fact that they appear to adore each other and the staff. They stand with each other when learning. They allow themselves to be thrust into the river’s cold water as easily as they do studying nature’s genetics in biology class.
How fortuitous. I hope to school them in ping pong later today. I told Evan that I am nervous to play him because I don’t want to be responsible for his certain humiliation and inevitable sleepless nights. He always responds the same, “I am gunning for your job one day Steven.”
It’s been a joy so far. I hate using the word “healing” because society is beating that word to death. But I cannot escape the fact that healing is happening everywhere.
Sincerely,
Steven
