Finally

I’m back! I have the laptop up and running and connected (even if it is dial up). Life is good, I am slowly seeing all my friends and catching up on all that has happened in my absence. It’s strange being home, I find myself looking around with new eyes. I see Canada as a much different place than I did when I left 18 months ago.

I was on the bus the other day and a family got on, I was getting off soon so I got up to give them my seat. The father thanked me and the young girl smiled up at me. The young girl was beautiful and caught my attention because she was carrying a paper flag and wearing flag pinas well. I wondered were she would Canadian flags at this time of summer. I watched from a distance as she spoke to her mother in arabic, I was curious to see what she was so excited about. Her mother took a pile of papers from her purse and handed them the girl. The girl carefully took them from her mother and held up her new Canadian resident card to show to her family, then she held up a copy of the oath that new Canadians say. She was so happy, I assume that they had just come from a citizenship ceremony. I found myself excited for that young girl as I watched her examine that pile of documents that makes Canada her home forever. She was glowing and I felt so privilege to witness her joy.

I got off the bus and left the family behind and I was walked to my friends house I thought about all that we have here. Not just what I have as person but what we have as a country, as a nation and how imbalanced the world is. We have so much and others have so little. I don’t think for a moment that our way is any better than that of another nation but that imbalance of space and natural resources makes us so more privileged. I hope remember that next time I am frustrated with a crowded bus or long line in a bank.

I must get moving, I am still trying to sort and unpack my life. I am getting back stuff that has been in storage and my boxes have started arriving from Taipei. It’s strange to see things that have been packed for so long. I will be back with a FO later, I finally finished that baby blanket that I began so long ago. My poor hand protested the whole time - but there will be more on that later.