Canada

Back in 1995, I visited Europe with the District 18 Girls Choir. We were in Holland for Canada Day. I was only 18 years old but it had a profound effect on me. I've always been patriotic but that trip made me even more so. I can remember driving through different parts of Holland and envisioning trenches and soldiers all over the place. There were buildings that had not be restored after World War II to serve as a reminder of the actrocities that took place. We visited the Canadian War Cemetary and it was a life altering experience for me. I clearly remember standing in the middle of the cemetary, turning in a circle (it's split into 4 quardrants), and seeing gleaming white headstones in every direction as far as the eye could see. These were the headstones of Canadian soldiers and it wasn't even a fraction of the men who gave their lives. The choir consisted of 60 girls ages 9-18 and our chaperones. I believe we were alone at the cemetary and we decided to pay our respect the only way we knew how. We lined up in our rows on a set of steps and sang. I can't remember what we sang that day but we didn't make it through before most of us were in tears. Even the youngest girls seems to understand what was going on.
We left the cemetary and were headed somewhere else but decided to stop at a clearing by the river Reine. There we met a man who was selling fruit. He was an older gentleman who had lived through the war. Ten years later and, I swear, I can still see his face. When he found out we were Canadian he was very excited. Again, we did the only thing we knew how - we sang for him. This man set out that moring to sell fruit to make a few bucks. Instead he came across 60 girls from a country across the Atlantic ocean. All we did was sing for him and it reduced him to tears. Not because the music was beautiful but because he was so grateful to Canada for the role they played in World War II. You see, Canada played a major role in the liberation of Holland and the Dutch people are quick to offer their thanks - even if you are only a self-centered 18 year old girl. We posed for pictures with this gentleman and as we boarded our bus he ran on with money in his hand asking our choir director to send him a copy. Of course, she refused his money but you can bet than picture was sent to him the day the film was developed. Everywhere we went it seem people made note that we were Canadian and had a smile or kind words for us. I have alot more memories of that trip but those are the memories that come to mind every Canada Day and every Rememberance Day. I have a bunch of photos from the Canadian War Cemetary and us singing at the Reine. Let me know if you ever want the story to come to life for you. I'll be happy to share the photos.

I have a lady working on my office for a few months who is from Rwanda. She was forced to leave her native country due to the genocide that occured there in the 90's. Marie is a wonderful, incredibly intelliegent woman who is an absolute pleasure to talk to. I had the opportunity to speak with her at lenght at a unit meeting Friday. This woman has only 3 surviving members of her entire family. ALL the rest were wiped out in the genocide in Rwanda. She witnessed some family members being executed. Many members of her family we killed during a raid on a village. These people had such faith in their religion that they ran to a church for safety. They never thought armed men would defy the sanctity of a church. They were horribly wrong. Two hundred people were butchered in that church, including most of the males in her family.
I'm admittedly a smart-ass and joker. But I'm fiercely proud to be Canadian and incredibly grateful to those people who make Canada the country it is. I started writing this blog about the annual Canada Day family party we have. But as I rolled along I started thinking about all this other stuff. I'm very lucky that my extended family gets along so well and that so many of us live in the same city. I'm also very thankful thatI live in Canada.
I hope you can take time to remember why we Celebrate Canada Day.