So, last night, when I couldn't get to sleep, I started thinking up some ideas for future blog posts. As I lay there, my eyes squeezed shut, begging sleep to come, something hit me. Tomorrow (or today, since this idea came to me last night) is Canada Day. Hey, I almost forgot. Sure, the public places are closed, and yeah, it says in tiny print on my calendar, but well ... it was easy to forget. What is Canada Day, you ask? Basically, it's Canada's answer to the Fourth of July (which happens to be this coming Sunday). Canada Day is celebrated on July 1st, and has been since 1867. So, this is Canada's (2010 - 1867 = hmm, uh-huh) 143rd Canada Day. Cool!
But it wasn't that difficult to forget it. I mean, it's like any other holiday. In December it's hard to remember that Christmas isn't about toys and turkey; it's a celebration of Jesus' birth. At Easter time, it's hard to remember that it's not about bunnies and candy, but about Jesus' resurrection. And on Canada Day, it's hard to remember that it's not a celebration of backyard barbecues, parades, and lake-front cottages, but a celebration of Canada as a nation. Sure, Canada has had its ups and downs. Occasionally, I have to say that I'm not too proud to be Canadian, but today, with the sun shining, the birds singing, and after blitzing my neighborhood with VBS fliers, I believe that there is still hope for my nation.