I did not write this composition. However, I feel that this woman accurately and eloquently portrays what every patriotic Canadian is truly feeling in his/her heart.
What Canada is to Me
By Louise S. C.
Canada. It is a country, a travel destination, and a home. It is in the heart of every Canadian who dares to stand out, every Canadian who smiles as you walk past, and each of us who put on shorts three weeks before it is time. There comes a time when each of us find a place in this vast country, and make it part of ourselves. Although my 16 years of life has not brought me much, I have found pride in this country. I cannot tell you the day I left my cocoon of ignorance to see the country for all its worth, and I cannot even put my finger on what it was. But when I look around, I can see why people call this place home.
I take pleasure in telling people where I live, regardless of the fact that they do not believe we drive cars or live in houses, as opposed to igloos. You realize how little they know about us, so I tell them. They listen, because they would be fools not to. I tell them of how I can walk down the street with my freakish friends, and the people strolling by with baby carriages and dogs stop to say hello to let us gawk at their prize possessions. I tell them of the video store owner who talks to all the children because he wants to. I tell of the people who let you sit on their lawns because you are looking tired, and the ones who wave you on at the four-way stop. And every time you stop to say, "Only in Canada”.
After watching Jonovision, or a little too much Jerry Springer, you can really see what we are made of. We are not just a group of people, we are an array of individuals. We help each other, instead of pushing each other down. We do not avenge our problems with violence, nor are we bound by governing officials, and change does not close our minds. It is no wonder the rest of the world refer to us Canadians as "nice people", because the truth of the matter is, we are. When it is perfectly normal for the woman at the cross walk to tell me where she got her shoes, my chest puffs out ever so slightly as that bubble of pride wells within the recesses of my heart. I can walk taller because I know this country is built on community. When I look at our deteriorating world, I know that our integrity will be forever retained. Pride, strength, and determination will hold us up, enabling us to laugh when we trip, wear funny hats and drive that extra block. It will be Canada where I raise my children and tell them my "when I was your age" stories. And as I grow with this country, I want it to retain its infamous compassion.
I look back on the times when I was in kindergarten, sitting in my room while I was supposed to be napping, and singing the national anthem to my stuffed animals. Belting out, "Our home and native land!" at the top pf my lungs, and then pausing and humming the next few bars because I didn't know the words. Maybe that is when the seed of national pride was planted. But it was most likely every time I looked at a carton of eggs and read "oeufs". The words I use do not describe how proud I am to say where I live, I do not even know where it comes from. But I do know that there is not a reason I've ever come across that would ever make me want to be anything but Canadian. It is a title, like King or Chancellor, yet the only responsibility we have is to smile back.
Being Canadian is about being yourself. We do not have to fit into any images, we do not have to follow a dictator, we do not even have to wear clothes if we can find the right beach. When it comes down to it, we have freedom, security and a beautiful scenery to top it off. I just hope that our country remains "glorious and free". So next time I hear our anthem on T.V during the Olympics, or see an add for Canadian beer, or when someone asks "Do you really drive dogsleds?", I can throw back my shoulders and grin, because I am.....CANADIAN.
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