Dear Boundless Families:
All arrived safely yesterday. The game is afoot.
What game exactly?
Leave behind your people, your comforts and your self-indulgence. Hop on a bus, step in a Boundless bubble, take a pulse of everything and everyone around you, find your centre, and survive. This game has been played by primates for two million years.
Except in this Boundless escapade, the rules are rigged. The elders bend over backwards to create a feeling of kindness. Levity. Bad jokes.
The returning students know this game well. They blended like hot milk to a latte. Following the staff’s lead, they tried hard to make the newbies feel welcome. They remember they were in the exact same spot a while back – looking at a rear view mirror of a comfort zone left far behind. Watching the returnees lend a hand was gorgeous to see. Liam and Sofie in particular stood out in this regard. Both are now the elders of the youngsters. With Malcolm serving as the caring uncle.
The fascinating story is the new kids, and how their wide eyes took in the novelty of the Ottawa Valley. Most were quiet. But with us too. Watching. Wondering. They haven’t joined in yet. But word on the street suggests they are well on their way.
Last night I gave an intro speech and started giggling in the middle of it about my sweatpants. I told the kids that old guys in sweats really have no self-respect.
There is a point to these old sweatpants, you see.
The ability to laugh at oneself is one key to making it at Boundless. I wished them much hilarity at laughing at themselves, and lovingly at each other.
I’ll write back in ten days and let you know exactly how that’s going.
In the meantime, I hope you enjoy your early winter. Please accept my best wishes for 24.
Warmly,
Steven
