I believe
Late last night I crawled up on the couch with my boyfriend and watched the opening ceremonies for the 2010 games.
We both worked through the actual event but didn’t want to miss a beat.
I was in the middle of the hype all day, helping tourists and locals make videos, swap coins, and have a look at the Olympic medals at the Royal Canadian Mint pavilion.
I came home to an email from my grandmother saying “It was the most fantastic, enthusiastic, production of anything I have ever seen.”
The visuals were incredible and as I watched the dancers and listened to Sarah McLachlan singing Ordinary Miracle, I felt proud to be Canadian.
Most of us are here because our parents or our grandparents wanted something better for their families.
My grandfather moved to Canada from Ireland with my grandmother and two daughters, including my mother, on a whim. He happened to be with a friend applying for immigration and applied himself. His friend wasn’t accepted and he was. When his father-in-law said “You’ll go to Canada on the boat called the Never Budge,” he decided to prove him wrong. No wonder I’m so stubborn.
I was moved by the dancers and by Shane Koyczan, who performed his poem Ever More. He made me proud to be Canadian and described some of my favorite things about our country:
and some say what defines us
is something as simple as please and thank you
Or
we are first-rate greasy-spoon diners and healthy-living cafes
a country that is all the ways you choose to live
a land that can give you variety
because we are choices
I believe in this country because every time I walk down the street I pass several ethnic restaurants, faces of every colour, mismatched outfits and people that embrace each others differences. You are free to be who you are in Canada, and that’s something we can all be grateful for.
I was moved by K.D Lang, an openly gay, incredible performer sang Hallelujah flawlessly in the opening ceremony, and Rick Hansen, a paraplegic athlete and activist carried the torch.
I do not believe in the angry protests going on in Vancouver right now. I am upset that more money has gone into the games than have ever gone to solve our poverty, drug and mental illness problems in the streets, but violence won’t solve this.
Yesterday the torch was supposed to run through Vancouver’s Eastside, shining a light on the poverty here rather than ignoring it. It was re-routed due to protesters.
Today the streets are filled with anarchists smashing windows and spray painting cars. These are not actions I believe in.
But I do believe the games will continue, and that this city and country will have it’s moment and bring people together in good ways amongst the bad.
