Blog # 181...September, 2026
I wrote a while ago about what makes a home, and was struck by a message posted by Dr. Andrew Boozary who conceived Dunn House in Toronto and has been its guiding hand and heart since its opening about a year ago. It's eloquent, touching and I'm quoting it in its entirety
"Today, a tenant at Dunn House told me that one of the most meaningful parts of finally having a home is being able to store his collection of books. It was a simple reflection, but a powerful one. A home is more than shelter. It is a place to protect the things that carry our memories, shape our identities and bring meaning to our lives. It is always an extraordinary honour to be invited into a tenant’s home. Today was also a reminder of the vital role that literature, art and the humanities can play in health, healing and human dignity."
Dunn House provides affordable, permanent housing for individuals who made frequent visits to Emergency at Toronto Western Hospital. St Mike's is on board with housing too. Those of us lucky enough to have a home know how important it is, I'm glad the health care community does too.
My house is full of books and even though I now read with my ears rather than my eyes , I still love having them wrapped around me. And when I get fed up with how technology has contributed to changing our world from a rules based society to an uneasy battleground with many losers, I recognize and appreciate some of the ways our lives have been improved.
Here in Canada, much of our attention is fixed on economic issues and trade in particular with, as our PM says "We can't control the storm blowing in from Washington." Mark Carney uses language with enormous skill and imagination... rather than echoing the many comments made frequently about the de US duplicity in breachng agreements, he said, they "signed contracts with a pencil.: I'm anxious about what's too come, dismayed by some of the behavior south of the border, but proud of us and our leaders..
I've always loved the image of phoenix rising from the ashes and recently visited St Ann's Anglican Church in Toronto, the site of a terrible fire a couple of years ago. The exterior walls of the historic building remain standing, surrounding an open area in which curator Rul Piintent invites visitors to pause and consider how places carry memories. A dozen artists from the local community have contributed piece, each s in their medium to interpret their vision of the show's title When Walls Meet Sky.
So many people loved my mention of Nat King Cole singing Autumn Leaves that I played it just now, if you'd like a listed as September approaches, here's a link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gnp58oepHUQ
See you next month.
