Birthdays and other anniversary celebrations
“Growing old is no fun,” I said to my friend after a conversation about joint pains, lack of sleep and hot flashes.
“It’s better than the alternative,” she replied.
How true. My daughter would have celebrated her 20th birthday in July. Sadly, she did not have a chance to experience much of life. My father passed away when I was 21 and never got to meet his grandchildren.
Fortunately, my mother is celebrated her 87th birthday in July. We went vacationing together, at the special place where she has gone for over 60 years. Each summer, she thinks she may not return the next year, and each day is one to treasure.
Summer is always a time to count one’s blessings and to celebrate. It starts with the birthdays of Quebec and Canada and continues with a multiplicity of festivals and events — the international fireworks competition, the jazz festival and Just for Laughs, to name a few.
With Montreal’s 375th, Canada’s 150th and Expo 67’s 50th anniversaries, this year offers even more to celebrate. It was interesting to read some of the coverage about Canada 150, which noted that only 55 per cent of Quebecers planned to celebrate, compared with 84 per cent of Ontarians.
Personally, I am proud to celebrate both. As an anglophone who grew up in Montreal’s NotreDame-deGrâce neighbourhood and went to English school before immersion was introduced, I grew up watching the Friendly Giant and Mr. Dressup. In my early school years, I stood each morning to sing God Save the Queen. It was only many years later that I learned the French version of O Canada!
Still, I am proud to consider myself a Quebecer as well as a Canadian. When I go to the United States on vacation, I miss hearing and speaking French. I am proud to live in a country that is multicultural and embraces two official languages. A country that is known for its openness and tolerance.
I listened to Michael J. Fox’s speech when he accepted the Lifetime Artistic Achievement Award from the Governor General, and it made my eyes a bit misty. As a talented actor, a spokesperson and a philanthropist who has dramatically increased public awareness of Parkinson’s Disease, he grew up travelling across our vast land. He lives in New York now, but he spoke about attending hockey games and singing the Canadian anthem a little louder than the Star-Spangled Banner. He also spoke about the “warm embrace of home,” something I feel each time I return to Canada after I have been away.
When I moved to Pointe-Claire more than 30 years ago, I was intrigued by two nearby houses — one painted red and white, boasting a large Canadian flag, and the other blue and white with a Quebec flag, right next door. My first thought was that it must be difficult for the inhabitants to live next door to each other. Today, I wonder if perhaps they co-existed in harmony and were an example of the best that Quebecers and Canadians can be.
So happy summer everyone, whatever your age, your nationality and your beliefs. Enjoy each day and celebrate every occasion. It’s better than the alternative.