As it did for so many…

The events of 9/11 reshaped the contours of my imagination, impressing upon me how one event, orchestrated by a minority of minds, could change our view of the world. Floridius Bloom, much like us, has built a wall around himself, trying to keep all the light and good inside. Outside the wall, he fears, are monsters scheming to take his light away. The taller the wall grows, the more terrifying the monsters become in Floridius’s imagination. 

 So… how do we keep our children from building walls? How do we teach them not to judge or fear people because of skin color, religion or where they were born? The answer is not an easy one. Perhaps one way to begin is by telling stories and asking questions and gently, very gently, encouraging our children to think!