Elbows up for the Dream

"If this is the worst thing that's happened to me this week, I'm ahead of the game."

This is the response of an emotionally mature individual who had the server at the restaurant bring them the wrong meal. The person speaking this understands the gaps between how good things can be and how bad they could be. When someone can say these things out loud, it's a good indication that their vision is grounded in reality. I'm also willing to bet they’re someone other people enjoy being around. This kind of person prefers peace over immediate happiness—a human with well-practiced patience.

I've traveled a bit, and I believe I understand the chasms represented in the realities we live within Canada compared to other regions of the world. When I hear someone say, "Canada is broken", I can't help but wonder, "So when was it working? Because, as far as I can see, there have always been challenges. But when I wake up in the morning, it's in the context of waking up to a country that has all the potential for peace."

I get to live here!

Life isn't going to serve us everything we’d like to be happy. Neither is that the responsibility of our country. Canadians must recognize the context of our discontent. We have all the pieces of the puzzle required to make life work. We have everything we need to bring restoration to the tragic relationship between Indigenous people and settlers. We can build an economy that cares for us and our neighbors. The sustainability of our resources does not have to have a question mark beside it.

The challenge for us today is how to continue building and maintaining a foundation of peace in Canada. Maintenance is an important word because peace is a state of being that requires practice. Creating space requires grit and effort. I've never played hockey, but I understand the term "Elbows Up." It's about being in a tight corner but keeping your elbows up to create the space you need to protect yourself from an opponent. In this case, the forces in the world that aim to seize the peace of others and keep the marginalized under the heels of the strong. I'm not into aggressive flag-waving; it's not healthy for a country's soul. But I love it when our flag celebrates the dream of what Canada can be. “Elbows Up” is about protecting the dream of this beautiful land for those who live here and those around the world who seek it.

So, friends, thank you for reading. Love the country, pursue the dream, and protect your neighbors. Elbows up!

Happy Canada Day!