That time at Band Camp ... Maybe One Day ...

When I was the age my children are now, I remember being impressed and proud of living in one of the two countries in the world world that had "the LONGEST UNDEFENDED Border" between the two of them.

I was struck by the pictures of places in the East where the border ran through buildings like a library and a pool hall ... I was awesome to think that Canadians and Americans could freely come and go from each others respective countries ...

This past week, Noahkila has been attending the International Music Camp held annually in the Peace Gardens that straddle North Dakota and Manitoba's border due south of Brandon. He was apprehensive about going (some of that had to do with the emphasis on music, but some of it was because he would be living cheek to jowl with American teens, and he was worried that his left leaning values would get him in trouble).

Today we went to pick him up and following the concert when I caught up to him his first comment was - "you know how I was nervous about talking to Americans about President Bush?"

Cautiously I answered, "Yes?"

"Well," said Noahkila with a big smile, "most of the American kids feel the same way I do about him and what a lousy job he's done ..."

I breathed a sigh of relief as Noahkila excitedly shared some of his conversations with me. And as he talked I thought to myself that if the world is going to get any better it WILL be because of kids like Noahkila and those he meets who have the courage to talk about the state of the world and what needs to change to make it better ...

If we entrust the world to kids like Noahkila and those he just spent the week with at Band Camp ... maybe one day the sign pictured below that stands right on what was once the "longest undefended border in the world" will again stand vigil in a world filled with peace, and world where there are no more borders or boundaries ...

May it be so ...