Canada

The other night we had good friends come for dinner, as we chatted late into the night we started to talk about some of the terrible things going on in the world. Stories of nations that are struggling under the rule of persecution, nations torn apart by war, nations that know no peace, no freedom, and whose people long for hope. Nations whose children are being torn apart by violence, war, and men and women bent on destroying them. It's hard to talk about those things and not see this nation, my nation, Canada, as a place brimming with hope, brimming with possibilities, a nation poised on a foundation of freedom, a nation that does not know war. A place where we can raise our children in security and safety, a place where we can speak freely, share our opinions even when they differ from those around us. I walk through a city daily that houses people from all nations, all religions, all levels of wealth and I can not feel anything but blessed.

From East to West we are nation filled with beauty that defies description, forests, lakes, mountains, cities, the plains and farmers fields. We have a government based on democracy and we count on them to bring us into the future safely. As a people we are proud, as a nation we are proud, even if we do not come from here originally, even if we are born to a war torn nation, a poverty stricken nation, a nation on the brink of collapse. We are now Canadian and we are free, we are proud.

Today, Toronto is celebrating Gay pride. A parade of mammoth proportions will begin at Bloor and Jarvis and will make its way through out city. In my heart I am saddened that it's not a Canadian Pride parade that we celebrate today.  What a beautiful parade that would be, with the red and white flags and the faces of every colour brimming with that beautiful pride. As the world cup winds down those nations flags that adorn the cars of almost all the vehicles here will now be joined by the Maple Leaf. People will unite under one flag today and we will know pride, we will understand our blessings, we will know peace.

Happy Canadian pride day my friends, may we always know the peace we have today and may we never take it for granted. May we celebrate our freedom today and know that not all nations are granted the same. May we remember the men and women who have fought, bled and died so that today we can wave our flags and say we are Canadians.

L