Dear Boundless Families:
Three weeks ago, it was the Caribbean up here. Overnight, it turned to Nunavut.
But this weekend, finally, we cherished the crystal blue sky. The second session is afoot and your kids don’t stop running. And thinking. And drawing. And making clothes. And enduring Math with Dave. And teasing me.
Hunting season is upon us, so we shall be draped in neon orange, lest someone mistake us for wild animals. They wouldn’t exactly be wrong.
I spent last evening with said herd of primates. Our mission was to create a code. A guide to how we want to be with each other.
We warmed up by briefly looking at the life of Chief Crowfoot of the Siksika Nation in Southern Alberta. While he was regarded as a fierce warrior, he was more renowned for being a diplomat and a seeker of peace. He concluded a deal with the Feds in 1887 that was regarded as the first time an Indigenous Nation shared land, instead of surrendering it. That’s redefining a code.
And then we went to work. They had lots of ideas, but certain words stuck. Sincerity. Reaching. Relentless, Compassion, Honesty, Fortitude, Hope.
I swear, they were just a few words away from recreating the Catholic Virtues and barely a principle or two from the Anishnaabe Seven Grandfathers. It was quite stunning to behold.
While still in the works, we agreed that the Code will have a few phrases that we could all wrap our heads around.
The first was Sincerely Cute. What inspired this? Seeing Luke using Jake’s shoulder as a pillow on the couch during the brainstorm. We all melted at the site, and determined that being cute is a key part of what this place is. But not bullshit cute. That would be unbearable. Sincerely cute.
The second phrase that rang a bell was Relentlessly Reaching. Your kids acknowledged that they want this place to push them past their comfort zones – although all professed a disdain for cliches that have so often been jack-hammered down their throats. They were unanimous in believing that they have to push through troubling times. They want Boundless to be an arena where they train at this, like Rocky punching slabs of meat.
“Getting Strong Now”.
We have a few new kids this session. Already, they have added new and precious ingredients to this teenage stew. I don’t worry about any of them.
I would like to end with a confession. There are times that I despair about what’s going on out there. Being in the Boundless bubble is such a powerful retreat for me. I have run away. To a piece of heaven. Your kids are bringing me lots of joy.
I am ever so grateful to all of you for sending them to us.
Warmly,
Steven
