Immigration atrocities degrade who we are supposed to be

Immigration atrocities degrade who we are supposed to be

BY NANCY KIDD I am not a person who likes to debate controversial issues. I tend to stick to the rule of polite conversation that recommends avoiding religion and politics. On top of that, I started this blog to highlight the good in our midst, particularly the unexpected goodness I experienced in my years of teaching at a juvenile detention center. Despite my intentions, I now find myself unable to ignore issues repeatedly finding their way to the forefront of…

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Devon’s despair resides in detention center teacher’s heart

Devon’s despair resides in detention center teacher’s heart

BY NANCY KIDD Detention is a cold institution where kids have little privacy and where they don’t make a move without getting permission from a staff member. Kids have no access to cell phones, the internet, or any type of social media. Television viewing is limited and closely monitored. Their meals, prepared by inmates at the nearby county jail, consist of a lot of white bread, beans, and rice. Knowing all this, it is unbelievable anyone would ever deliberately want…

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Dream job developed when all signs pointed to ‘no’

Dream job developed when all signs pointed to ‘no’

BY NANCY KIDD Like many of the kids I taught in detention, before I first walked through the door, I never, ever dreamed I’d end up there. And once inside, just as many of them did, I found myself wondering, “What in the world have I gotten myself into? Is this a dream?” It’s funny how life sometimes unfolds in unexpected ways. After college, I taught for two years but then moved back to Champaign-Urbana to be near family and…

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Detention kids gain lasting wings with ‘Birdie Song’ surprise

Detention kids gain lasting wings with ‘Birdie Song’ surprise

BY NANCY KIDD What do you do …  when you’ve been hired to teach 10- to 16-year-olds with a wide range of backgrounds and abilities at a juvenile detention center? When you don’t know until you walk in how many students you’ll have based on who was arrested or brought from court since the day before? When none of them are happy to be where they are? When they appear lethargic and unmotivated—likely focused on their own personal, serious situations?…

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This dog’s days with us would be few, we firmly agreed

This dog’s days with us would be few, we firmly agreed

BY NANCY KIDD Shortly after my parents lost their beloved dog, Molly, Dad announced his plan to get a new dog. Although we were all sad and missed Molly terribly, none of us six kids—or our spouses—or even the grandkids thought Dad’s decision seemed like a good idea. My parents were, after all, in their 80s. My mom had dementia, and we were all working to keep them at home on the family farm. It was not ideal, and we…

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Heartfulness on the road (courtesy of my mother)

Heartfulness on the road (courtesy of my mother)

BY NANCY KIDD No need to judge others or to compare myself to anyone else. All I need to do is walk my own path and be ready to take the hand of those I encounter and to walk a bit with them. Sometimes that togetherness happens because I need a little support, so I work on asking for help and continue learning to accept it more graciously. Other times we walk together because I am there to assist someone…

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Finding joy in life’s daily gifts

Finding joy in life’s daily gifts

BY NANCY KIDD One of the lessons I’ve learned with age and experience is we are given spiritual gifts on a regular basis. Just as I became open to witnessing miracles regularly—and then I actually began to experience them—I believe that if I can open my eyes a little wider, I will be able to see more of the wonderful gifts that have been offered to me. After I retired from teaching at the Juvenile Detention Center, I began volunteering…

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I believe in miracles

I believe in miracles

BY NANCY KIDD A miracle, to me, is something awesome that happens, something with a connection to divine power. It can be when someone who was expected to die is healed, or when unforgiving family members offer forgiveness. It might be a personal achievement for one with significantly limited abilities, or maybe it is love being shown by the most unlikely person you could imagine.  I strongly believe that whatever we choose to focus on will grow. If my attention…

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