Sunday, July 1, 2018

Happy Birthday, Canada!

In keeping with tradition, here is my eighth annual Canada Day post, a tribute to my beloved country using some of my favourite photos from the past twelve months. Enjoy! 

Oh Canada, my Canada,
A year has passed since your last birthday,
And much has changed in the world, not all for the better.

And yet I find peace and tranquility in your embrace:
Your trees, they shelter me,





Your birds, they sing to me,




Your rivers and lakes refresh me,





Your oceans fill me with delight








Your mountains, with awe:






Your beauty astounds me.

And even when things are chaotic



And barriers stand in our way 



We try to build bridges, not walls,


And to find light at the end of the tunnel,



We study the problem,



And consult one another.




We stand together,


And try to walk side by side .




Sometimes we go out on a limb,



Or stick our neck out 


Or even cry loudly so all can hear our voice.



Our challenges can be many 


But even if we feel threatened,
And our size on the world stage is small,








We must remember that even tiny drops of dew will nourish a plant,


And one small lily pad can soon multiply to cover a whole pond.



Together, we are strong,


And we can spread our wings and soar.


Oh Canada, we shall watch over you


and stand up for what we believe.

And no matter what befalls us,
We can still find beauty in an old mill town ,





We can find comfort with friends,



We can find things to smile about. 





We are a nation of four seasons,

And many cultures,


Of incredible beauty, 







A nation of workers,



and walkers,



and I hope that our nation's children will grow up to love you, Canada, as much as I do:




We are not perfect.
Our history is riddled with misdeeds and
though we are learning to reconcile,
We still need to act with more  compassion,


To do a better job of caring for the homeless and the hungry,



The sad and the weary,






Those struggling and those who need safe harbour.




And while some might think us reserved or shy,




We are resourceful,


Independent,


Fun-loving,



And kind,


And with those attributes, we can build community.


Oh Canada,

From sunrise 




To sunset, 




And all through the night,


We stand on guard for thee.

This is my Canada, 
And for all its faults,
I still believe...



I still believe...



I still believe...


I will always believe...




It is the best place on earth.



Happy Canada Day



10 comments:

Marie said...

Well Done! Brought me to tears as it's my sentiments exactly! Lovely, lovely photos. Happy Canada Day!!

CarolineA said...

Wow, a fantastic blog post! Such amazing pictures and the narrative goes perfectly with each one, don't know how you do that each year!
Happy Canada Day to you, Allie and Maggie.

Unknown said...

Absolutely gorgeous, thank you!

JG said...

What a beautiful tribute to the beautiful land we have the privilege to call home. Thank you for sharing.

Black Jack's Carol said...

Beautiful post, Jean! Your stunning photographs and heartfelt words highlight with the most touching poignancy how very fortunate we are to live in this great country.

Sheryl said...

Lovely, as always. It brought tears to my eyes. Happy Canada Day to you, too!

spackminder said...

Oh Jean, you've outdone yourself this year! So beautifully photographed and written. Thank you for sharing. True north, strong and free!

Anonymous said...

Happy Canada Day to you as well. I agree with all the above sentiments.... You have certainly out done yourself with this post...thank you....M and the 3 dawgs....oh and L too

Unknown said...

thank you for this post, the words and pictures say it all. Canada is most beautiful and our little corner is so special. Happy Canada Day

Anonymous said...

Beautiful! Well said.