Rachel Starr Thomson

My most recent article on Boundless.org is a reminder to us all to love our countries — and a tribute of sorts to mine:

I saw something in Vancouver that I don’t often see in this northern nation of ours. Patriotism. People bursting with pride in being Canadian, faces painted red and white, waving hockey sticks with Canadian flags on the end. After I’d returned home, I was driving down the freeway and listening to commentators on the CBC (the Canadian Broadcasting Company) asking whether this event, this upswell of Canadian identity and pride, had changed us forever.

Maybe it had, they thought.

Certainly the Olympics helped bolster my own sense of identity as a Canadian. My patriotic journey has been an unusual one. My grandmother was born and raised in Iowa, and though she moved after her marriage to the border city in Canada where my grandfather lived, she remained passionately American all her life. Her eight children were all born in Canada, but obtained dual citizenship early on, and they too developed a strong sense of American identity.

(Read the rest of “Loving My Country” here: http://www.boundless.org/2005/articles/a0002322.cfm .)

After the article posted, I got this lovely e-mail from fellow Boundless writer Elisabeth Adams:

Hi Rachel,

Just wanted to let you know that I enjoyed your latest article on Boundless — both because it’s an excellent articulation of the subject, and because I lived in Canada for a year, and prayed for her alongside my Canadian friends. I still feel a tug on my heart when I hear “we stand on guard for thee.”  I did grow up with a Canadian uncle and later went to school with a Canadian, who hated the igloo jokes and clued me in to the fact that it can be Very Annoying to have such a large and loud neighbor nation soaking up so much of the attention.

But oh, was I an innocent when I went up there! I figured Canada was just like America, only further north. Not so much. :O) I saw Loyalist cemeteries. (That was a shock!) Heard a much less pugnacious attitude towards politics. Felt the gentle, Old World spirit and experienced over-the-top hospitality. Celebrated Canadian Thanksgiving. Drank tea! Enjoyed seeing British spellings. Got used to seeing French everywhere.  Enjoyed a bit of my Scottish heritage, including kilts, Gaelic, and fiddles.  Lived so far from town that the stars were brighter than I’ve ever seen them before or since, and by woods so thick, it was easy to imagine Indians stepping out of them. Saw my first bald eagles in the wild (ironic, that). Bought milk in bags, and actually had both milkman and bookmobile come my house. Got lost in Quebec, and watched my non-French-speaking dad try to get directions from a very non-English-speaking hunter. (Lots of arm waving involved).

When I’m abroad, people of numerous nationalities hear my accent and guess that I’m Canadian. And it makes me smile. I love being American, but I’m glad I’ve gotten to know our sister nation just a wee bit more.

Thanks for reminding me of so many good memories!
Elisabeth

Here’s to both our countries today!

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