Dear AB, Today is International Day of the Girl Child, and it seems a great opportunity to talk about you, my Rainbow baby, seeing as your birthday was less than two weeks ago. Your birthday will henceforth always fall on the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation (though you have been wearing an orange shirt…
Author: dilovelyadmin
Worrying about my unvaccinated friends
Since mass vaccinations against Covid-19 began this past spring, I’ve become aware of a small number of friends and family who remain unvaccinated by choice. Some I suspected would be, and some I was surprised about. At this point, I’m aware that the number of such folks might be considerably higher than I’d realized. Covid…
Sebastian’s 10th Birthday
Dear Sebastian, This summer, if you had lived, you would be turning ten. Yesterday was technically your birthday, although if you had been able to survive, you likely would have been born in August. Maybe even on your due date – you would have been birthday buddies with your Grammie. Sometimes I wonder what you would have…
“Cancel Canada Day”: reflections on why we need this
It’s July 1st, otherwise known as Canada Day. This year, for the first time, Canadians are being asked not to celebrate it. Given the past few weeks, in which we’ve seen confirmation of hundreds and hundreds of dead Indigenous children buried in unmarked graves at residential school sites, the request not to celebrate is absolutely appropriate. As…
To My Firstborn, Age 12
Dear E, You’ve now been twelve for three weeks. It has been a long time since I managed to post about you for your birthday, because funnily enough, it always falls at the busiest time of year. I am determined to write – and finish – this post, so that someday (if you ever read…
215 is actually a small numerator.
Dear vigil speakers, Thank you for speaking your truths to those of us gathered last night to honour the 215 children, victims of the residential school system, whose remains were found in Kamloops last week. There was so much bravery in the speaking of these truths. Whether you were an experienced speaker or not, whether…
Bill Wurtz: a prophet helping us through the pandemic
You know how humans turn to music to keep them going during tough times? That has been very true for our family during the pandemic. In our house, Bill Wurtz is one musician in particular who has helped us the most in this long, stressful year. Last spring, our son E (who was ten at…
A letter to party leaders about climate change
This climate change letter was sent to: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau Conservative Leader Erin O’Toole NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh Green Party Leader Annamie Paul Liberal MP Lloyd Longfield Dear fellow Canadians, This has been a year like no other, for all of us. You, the political leaders – particularly the Prime Minister – have been…
Back to School in Person!
Today was the first day back at in-person school since the winter holidays began in December. On the day last week when it was announced that we would head back this week, I remember that as the news sank in, my brain gradually released this huge invisible ball of stress and I started to feel…
New Year’s Questionnaire for 2020: The Year The World Stood Still
It’s always fun to post a piece so late that it’s basically irrelevant… Sigh. (And this piece would still be waiting to be finished if it weren’t for the long dentist appointment the kids and I had last week that gave me an hour in which I couldn’t work on report cards.) At least I…