The spirit of Canada lives right here

Exeter Examiner Editor - Dan Rolph

By Dan Rolph

Every Canada Day, we see the same images of fireworks over Parliament Hill. We see the pictures of crowds gathered in cities for attention-grabbing and over-the-top celebrations that we’ve come to expect from the day that marks the anniversary of Canada’s Confederation.

Canada Day brings with it moments of joy and celebration that many of us partake in every year, albeit on a smaller scale in communities like ours.

But through those celebrations, it is important not to lose sight of what we are celebrating in the first place.

Patriotism isn’t about who waves the biggest flag or who shouts the loudest about proudly being Canadian. It isn’t about pretending, and it isn’t built on grand gestures.

In truth, patriotism is about the people right in front of you.

It is about the neighbour who shows up unannounced with a shovel in hand the morning after a blizzard. Its foundation is the coaches who volunteer, giving up their evenings and weekends so young athletes can play a sport they love. Its heart is the people who quietly drop off groceries for someone going through a hard time, not looking for recognition.

These people are not performing patriotism. They are living it.

As someone who admittedly grew up in a city much larger than this community, I recognize that there is something truly special about belonging to a small town. In a big city you are a face in a crowd.

Here, you are a neighbour among neighbours. People know your name and will talk to you as you’re shopping for groceries or walking on a trail. They will wave to you as you pass them on the street or ask you about your family with genuine interest.

That kind of connection is quietly extraordinary, even when it feels ordinary. And perhaps part of loving a place is being honest about it, too.

Small towns like ours are not perfect. At times they can be insular, and maybe slow to change.

Canada is also imperfect, and it carries with it a history that deserves honest reflection and contemplation. It’s a history that reminds us that the work of becoming the country we want to be, the country we celebrate every year on July 1, is never truly finished.

At its best, Canada has always been built by people who recognize the challenges of their time and chose to be forces for change. When we look at our history, we can see that spirit in great Canadians like Terry Fox and Viola Desmond.

But you don’t need to dig into the history Canada’s well-known figures to find that spirit. We can see it in our own community, and it is alive and well.

So, as we enjoy the festivities and celebrations this Canada Day, take a moment to look around at the community we are a part of and ask yourself what you can do to make it even kinder, more welcoming and more worthy of the people who call it home.

We stand on the shoulders of giants, whether or not their names make the history books. They are the ones who make Canada celebration-worthy.

Happy Canada Day.