I know what it’s like to experience the agony of a mental health crisis in the family. But, I have also experienced the miracle of our family’s story being rewritten. I believe in hope. (more…)
Bob JonesFebruary 9, 2020
Fred Rogers’ is famous for the advice to look for the helpers. “When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news,” Mr. Rogers said to his television neighbors, “my mother would say to me, ‘Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.’” Cue China. Compassion knows no borders or ethnicities. Helpers are popping up everywhere following the early January Coronavirus outbreak in the Chinese province of Wuhan. Mr Rogers would be proud. On February 1st, ten or so trucks that were Wuhan-bound had been festooned with red banners that read, “Pull together in times of trouble, go Wuhan!” and “The people are united, fight the epidemic together.” Several said they had…
Bob JonesFebruary 2, 2020
My name is Hashimoto's. I'm an invisible autoimmune disease that attacks your thyroid gland causing you to become hypothyroid. I am now velcroed to you for life. If you have hypothyroidism, you probably have me. I am the number one cause of it. (more…)
Bob JonesDecember 18, 2019
Overwhelmed. You know the feeling. You skipped breakfast. And lunch. Your boss moved your deadline to this afternoon and you forgot to take your kid to the dentist. And you haven't started your Christmas shopping. (more…)
Bob JonesDecember 1, 2019
18 years ago, on September 11, 2001 at 9:41:15 a.m Richard Drew captured a photograph of a man falling from the North Tower of the World Trade Center. (more…)
Bob JonesOctober 27, 2019
Depression is not a choice. Too many suffer in silence. In a war with myself. I have a black dog. It won’t leave me alone. (more…)
Bob JonesOctober 8, 2019
A four-year old Alberta girl named Serenity died on Sept. 27, 2014. When she arrived in hospital a few days earlier she was suffering from catastrophic injuries, including a fractured skull and starvation. She was hypothermic. There were signs of sexual abuse. A forensic pediatrician determined her injuries were inconsistent with a fall. There were repeated reports of abuse during Serenity’s care. (more…)
Bob JonesAugust 15, 2019
Beautiful and maddening, hopeful and condemning, simple, yet like a knot that takes a lifetime to untangle. A heartbreaking, rewarding story that still haunts me. That’s how author Jamie Ford describes Up From the Blue, the debut novel by Susan Henderson. Novels aren't usually a genre I do book reviews for but this one is an exception. And I think you would agree once you meet Tillie. (more…)
Bob JonesJune 22, 2019
Saju Mathew is an American lawyer working in India to bring about change in the most vulnerable group in the world. I met him at the Matrix Hotel in Edmonton, Alberta - an aptly named venue to begin a journey into reality. A Shift In Identity Saju introduced his subject with the story of “The Ugly Duckling.” He said, “Change can only happen when there is a shift in identity.” Saju spoke matter-of-factly about a child prostitute in Chennai, India. She had been deceived into leaving home with the promise of a better future. Once settled into her new surroundings she was told to take off all her clothes and put on a mini-skirt and tight fitting top. When she…
Bob JonesJune 15, 2019
In the immortal words of Mike Tyson, “Everybody has a plan until you get punched in the face!” Disappointments truly hurt. You bet they do. They sure don't make you happy. But what does make you happy is the ability to rise strong and press on. Just ask the 2019 Stanley Cup Champions, St Louis Blues and their biggest fan Laila Anderson. (more…)
Bob JonesJune 12, 2019