Yesterday, July 17, was Nils Bohlin’s birthday. More on Mr. Bohlin shortly. His claim to fame involves seatbelts. Seatbelts weren’t always in fashion. Consider the ‘70s. There’s my father and his mutton chops with my buddy Paul and myself, all in our blue van during a snowy
Strap in and thank your lucky stars for Nils Bohlin Read More »
One day a few summers ago I saw a pair of feet in old sneakers pass a row of small Canada flags placed along a walkway. It was in Charlottetown, PEI, on Canada Day. Fitting, considering Charlottetown is Canada’s birthplace. The feet, of course, could be from anywhere.
Nationalism, at its best, is nothing to fear Read More »
The thing about even the most humdrum of moments is that something of life’s larger mystery can come through them. Take this moment in Congo, a father holding his child in their home’s doorway. Neither seemed to mind me stopping. My sense is that both would be okay, even pleased, knowing their photo finally found
The doorways of fatherhood Read More »
Here’s something on the always relevant topic of how to have a slumber party with a world leader. But first let’s touch on bunkers and surviving the apocalypse. Today is the anniversary of D-Day, the June 6, 1944 Allied invasion that helped end the Second World War, but not all war.
Forget the bunker, we should be bonding Read More »
Wander just about anywhere in our time and find something about mental wellbeing. In Berlin I once passed a bus shelter ad saying “Schweigen kostet Leben,” or “Silence costs lives.” An aging gentleman has his mouth taped shut. Someone’s father, likely? Grandfather?
Let’s work to improve lives, not end them Read More »
We can’t talk about rescuing mothers without talking about rescuing children, never mind rescuing starfish. But first, Hannah, my daughter. Not that she’s the only person in the world who’s ever been rescued. She’s not. But on a weekend to celebrate mothers, here’s her story.
We all need rescuing from this broken world Read More »
So I was walking the dog with another dog walker and he told me how his daughter puts her boyfriend to sleep by reading to him. Go on, I said, so he did. This father, Tim, told me about his daughter’s bedtime reading habits. And his. When Tim goes down, he reads, falls
Learning about the meaning of life in your pyjamas Read More »
Lately, wandering around and doing nothing in particular, I’ve been reminded how the world would be a more peaceful place if we bothered more with Winnie-the-Pooh. Now you may think that an imagined bear who is of little brain and doesn’t wear pants isn’t someone to
Lessons from a silly old bear Read More »
