July 1, 2019
It is Canada Day, a day which will be celebrated by many back home. Someone I know wished me a Happy Canada Day, and I found myself wondering what it means to me, this day of celebration for Canadians. I would not call myself patriotic, I don’t really feel connected to any country or place. Rather I have often wondered what it would be like to have no borders, no restricted access to other places.
While I sat on the rock beside the pond here, I was lucky enough to be able to watch some toads lying in the shallow water. They had drained the pond, so the toads were enjoying resting on the mud floor while still being in the water.
It took me a moment to realize there were not just three of them, but six, as they were doubled up. My first impression was they were mating, but I wanted to be sure. I had been watching for about 15 minutes, and they had not moved much in that time, so out came the phone, both for pictures and also to search for the answer.
That they were mating, was definitely a possibility, however the male will often ride on the female when going from one pond to another, or going from A to B. I won’t say anything on that bit of information ( 🙂 ). One thing I did think about though was things I did not know because I had not seen them happen, so was not curious to discover more. I wonder this is not the case with many of us – not just with the world of nature, but with each other also. For instance, I have been labeled a “Hippie” simply because I do not eat meat and use natural medicines rather than going to a doctor. While I personally do not care that I am called a hippie, although I would prefer “Bohemian”, what does bother me is the lack of understanding and the desire to find out from those who issue the label. We are not all created the same and perhaps where we are born is a contributing factor to many of our internal character traits. We adapt on a cellular level to the environment we are meant to live in, before we are born.
I have been given the luxury of time while here, and so am in a constant state of wonder, many questions circling in my mind. I consider what would happen if we were more willing to live with the earth, rather than demanding so much from her? Living here has shown me how little we need to be comfortable, but we expect more when we are surrounded by so many desirable “things”. While in Canada I too wished for a nicer home, a beautiful yard, practical good quality furniture, a nice dependable car and good shoes! I lacked most of these things, so I suppose the desire could not be stemmed. Here I wonder why, although a comfortable chair would not be amiss!!
I lived in rural B.C. for several years, enjoying beautiful surroundings, clean fresh air, and mostly quiet solitude. There was a lovely town on the river in the mountain valley that we drove past on many occasions as we went from home to whatever destination. On one occasion we learned of the tragedy that had befallen the community in the form of an oil spill or leak – the tanks rupturing and spilling into the ground. This pretty much destroyed the town, the residents trapped by the disaster. They could no longer grow and eat their own food, the ground water was contaminated and their land/homes were now of no value. They could not sell and move on, and staying gave them no comfort or stability. When we do not experience a problem we are content to believe the propaganda. The oil company did not do due diligence and restore this community, rather it was left unresolved, I imagine tied up in the courts for many years. This is not a problem which goes away with the next rainfall, the land may never recover.
I had another interesting experience while living in the hamlet of Slocan in B.C., one that involved the logging industry, another bone of contention. Slocan was a logging community and our landlord owned a business dependant on the logging trade. As clear cuts destroy the beauty of the land and it’s sustainability the residents are left with the results of decisions made for profit, rather than common sense. One Sunday morning, a day we expected we would be allowed to enjoy the quiet, we found the sawmill did not take a day off. Sitting outside and enjoying conversation on this glorious summer day was not possible. I was angry and decided to go and speak to the man using the saw, to see how long he intended to work. The conversation began as a confrontation (Patrick hiding in the bushes watching) because in the logging industry, in these parts, if you come from the city, you are a tree hugger and an enemy of theirs. You are labeled without conversation or understanding – you are not given a chance as a person. The most interesting thing happened though, something I do feel proud of. I told him he should be at home with his family enjoying this beautiful day. He should be sitting on the beach, swimming in the beautiful lake, not working. Everyone should have a day off. He stopped and listened to what I said, which took me by surprise, and he stopped yelling at me, thinking about what I was suggesting. We hugged each other, something I would not have believed possible, and we parted better people for the interaction. I think of the man at the saw many times, and I know it is in listening, really hearing another person, which allows us to understanding each other. First we must discover what is needed, before we decide what to do.
I feel that Canada is becoming a third world country, not a happy thought. But there is claim to genocide, the provinces are at war with each other and the governments do not feel they are responsible for their decisions. Jobs are more important than environment and “this is how we’ve always done it” is more important than change. There is struggle to get fair trade for resources and decisions made are guided by the corporations, not the needs of the people. Rape and violence is becoming a daily headline, often with no resolution. Those who tell the truth are fired and those who cannot face those consequences quit. The true cost of our decisions may not be felt in our life time, but I do wonder what our grandchildren will think of us as they struggle to clean up our messes. Of course these are my opinions alone and I do not expect others to agree nor understand them. They are formed from observation, seeing the headlines, living with and talking to the people around me, not from extensive reading or studying. There is much good also, but I do feel Canada is on very unsteady ground. Do we stand up for positive change? Or do we continue to turn a blind eye? At what cost does living the way we always have, come to? The youth at least seem intent on demanding change, as it is their future that has been in our hands.
So on Canada Day, did I feel nostalgic? Did I miss “my country”? I miss the people I got close to over the years, I miss certain (what I’d call luxury) items, and I miss certain foods and flavours. I miss the idea of the beautiful country that once was. I have come to understand we have to feel purpose and a sense of belonging in order to miss where we are from. I am still looking for those things in my life. I am in stasis.
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