Connecting in the Center

The Newsletter of the Boothby Institute

A monthly publication designed to highlight issues of significance, program news and opportunities, as well as the writings of others related to creating a world that works for everyone.

INSPIRED SCHOOLS: Any School Can Be, We’re Headed to Six in Maine!

by Bill Cumming At present, The Boothby Institute is managing a three year, 2.2 million dollar grant for LearningWorks / AmeriCorps Aims High. While we are excited about hiring and training 217 AmeriCorps Members to go into six schools throughout the state of Maine (Riverton Elementary and East End Community ...

Sarah Self Care

Do you feel like all you have ever known is struggle? Even though you know you are blessed, at the end of the day, you still feel like you are struggling–struggling to live peacefully with your spouse, to be consistent with your parenting, to encourage your children to get along, ...

The Boothby Institute to act as Program Director for 2.2 Million Dollar Grant

by Bill Cumming 2.2 million, 200 volunteers, 2,000 students served Four school regions across Maine will benefit from the 2013 School Turnaround AmeriCorps Grant Students across four school districts and six schools in Maine will receive improved educational opportunities thanks to a dedicated cadre of AmeriCorps members. Funded by the ...

Talking with our Children Film as Facilitator

by Bill Cumming Are there times when you want to raise issues of character with your pre-teen or adolescent children? Are there topics you want to discuss and don’t really know how to get into them without sounding preachy or overbearing? Does it feel to you as if the most ...

The Power of Experience

by Bill Cumming The following story is written by Tracey Hair, who is now Director of Development of H.O.M.E., Maine’s largest homeless shelter and an Emmaus Community. For me, nothing speaks to the incredible power that resides within each person more clearly than the sharing of one’s own experience. Beautifully ...

Slowing Down

by Bill Cumming On my way out of a store recently, I found myself walking behind two elderly women. Their pace was very, very slow and one was using a walker. Due to the layout of the store, in order to exit, I would need to follow behind them. Seconds ...

ROBERT HOLDEN: INFLUENCE LOVEABILITY

by Bill Cumming Today’s newsletter is about Robert Holden. I have never met Robert Holden. Not unusual, I never met Mahatma Gandhi or Martin Luther King, Jr. either. What I know about him is that of all the people I know, I have never heard one person say anything about ...

Valentines Day

by Bill Cumming According to the statistics there are one billion Valentine’s Day cards sent each year on Valentine’s Day. Those cards are generally in celebration of "romantic love" and sentimental feelings. Not bad and I am not sure it is exactly the gift the world needs right at this ...

Perspective on the Power of Loving-Kindness

by Bill Cumming In the face of everything going on in the world today from a second brutal, public rape in India to increased violence in the Middle East, it is difficult to realize that things are actually getting better. Next Monday is Martin Luther King Day and Inauguration Day ...

Magical Spiritual Experience

by the Board of Directors: Everyday is Christmas Day, Hanukkah, Ramadan, Kwanzaa. The celebration of life and nature is the same thing for some atheists. Every religion points to loving one and other better and learning to grow in wisdom as core tenets. Is there anyone out there who does ...