Like a lot of people (I guess) I know that the Olympics are taking place AND right here in our own backyard. Who wouldn’t with all the preparations and publicity that has been going on forever it seems?
In the last few weeks, however, the whole thing has accelerated. Everywhere you look there’s that inimitable red Canadian maple leaf on people’s hats, gloves, T-shirts, fleeces and on flags on cars – just like when the Cannucks get into the Stanley Cup playoffs. And now “everyone” in our neighborhood has got a flag on a pole or tied to a fence or tree.
And then today happened. After months of the Olympic Flame touring across much of Canada, it was coming up our street, preceded by a police motorcycle cavalcade with flashing lights and sirens.
Despite the rain, the sidewalks spilled over into the road with kids and parents and onlookers with silly hats and painted faces. There were even some guys on a roof with camping chairs (red ones with a maple leaf on them of course!). All of a sudden this is no longer just Olympic spirit. This is patriotism.
Something really surprised me about this.
It’s not just that time has gone so fast. It’s that this is rubbing-off on me. I feel like I’m part of this event, this place. I’ve ‘all of a sudden’ become more Canadian in both my attitude and outlook. And the thing that’s really telling is that I’m so looking forward to watching “our” ice hockey team remind the world where the game comes from. Go Canada Go.
Filed under: The Olympics
