In Friday’s post , SchoolBOX president Tom Affleck told us that the most rewarding aspect of his work has been witnessing creation—seeing his work begin as a mustard seed and then grow and evolve.

I really love stories about the power of one. I love stories that involve a person—just an ordinary person—starting out on a journey that seems impossible, even crazy, at the beginning, but then persevering and doing miraculous things. These stories let us know that we can change the world.

What are the transformative moments in your life? When have you received a lightning flash of insight that changed your point of view, or even the direction of your life?

At the age of seventeen I went to Mexico on a student exchange. When I arrived I spoke no Spanish. My introduction to the language began at breakfast the morning after my arrival. My host held up a fork. “Tenedor,” he said.

At Thanksgiving we give thanks for everything in our lives that is beautiful and positive and valuable. We look around us, really think, and feel gratitude for that which enriches us.

Unfortunately, sometimes we have to look past or psychologically climb over a lot of things for which we’re not so thankful to get to the good stuff.

At a meeting of the Canadian Authors Association a few years ago, two guests spoke about their writing projects. Dr. David Makow, a Polish Jew, shared stories from his book Dangerous Luck: Memories of a Hunted Life, and Peter Hessel, a former member of the junior branch of the Hitler Youth, spoke about The Mystery of Frankenberg's Canadian Airman.

Our umbrellas have been getting a workout in Ottawa this September. Our sunglasses also have been getting a working in Ottawa this September. Umbrella up, umbrella down. Sunglasses on, sunglasses off. It seems that there have been no sunny days, or rainy days. There have been sunny/rainy/sunny/rainy days.

My husband rides his bike to his job in downtown Ottawa as often as possible. This on-again, off-again weather presents a daily challenge. If he cycles to work in sunshine in the morning, he often returns drenched by a sudden downpour in the evening.

A 10-year-old boy rocks from one foot to the other in right field. The thought of a ball flying through the air at great speed toward him terrifies him. His fear of dropping the ball and failing in front of his team and his father sitting in the stands paralyzes him. Please don’t hit the ball to me. Please don’t hit the ball to me. Please don’t hit the ball to me. The batter knocks a grounder to the shortstop. Phew! Thank goodness.   

Earlier this week, Ray Como of Alberta fell into a combine. This piece of machinery, for those unfamiliar with farm equipment, harvests grain crops. It cuts the stalks and separates the grain kernels from the straw. The grain stays in a holding tank while the straw shoots out the back onto the field to be baled later. To do such work, the inside of a combine is a complex arrangement of rotating blades, wheels, sieves, and elevators.

I missed the Terry Fox experience the first time around.

In March, 1980, before Terry started running, I left for a six-month student exchange in México. I returned to Canada on September 5, 1980, four days after he stopped running. When I settled into my seat on my Air Canada return flight from Mexico City, the flight attendant handed me a complimentary copy of the Toronto Sun. The front page carried a picture of Terry Fox. I read his name and thought:

10. Critical thinking

There are faith communities out there that don't want to tell you what to think! There are faith communities out there that say, "Let me share something with you so that we can explore this mystery together." Churches, mosques, synagogues and temples provide places for you to sit and listen and really ponder matters fundamental to our lives together.