first things first, in the immortal words of
the great Canadian singer-songwriter Stompin’ Tom Connors
♪It’s Canada Day up Canada way
on the first day of July ♪
(c’mon, you knew it was coming)
Today absolutely gorgeous
blue skies, sunshine, light breeze
in the garden, everything is a thick and
lush
billowy green
rain and extra warm temperatures contributing
much
the birds are plenty, although I have been out of seed
for
days
the ponds, glistening
and all edges swish with a multitude of tadpoles
the cabbage whites are a flutter, but
haven’t seen too many others in these hot, hot days
although currently a great deal of the flowery
is in the front garden
as most areas in the back, have been
well, dog and puppy travelled
this morning a thorough walking meditation
in the garden
looking, listening, admiring
beautiful, grateful things
it’s quiet, and it’s lovely… peace-filled
so, so much that I love
thinking about how the garden has been changed
over the years, by us, and gloriously
by nature
itself
thinking again about my Aunt Pat
(yesterday being her birthday)
her voice
her arms, hugging me tightly
her love and support in my life
and how much
I
still
miss her
June has been Indigenous History Month here in my country
and I feel very fortunate to have
watched quite a few really wonderful documentaries
as well as read some
very insightful, informative, educational
and vast stories
about our First Nations, Metis and Inuit peoples
so much colonialism to be ashamed of
and so much
privilege
to be consciously and
continuously
aware
of
where I have access to clean drinking water
to medical care, should I need it
to education
to basic human
rights… AND freedoms
as well of course, June was also Pride Month
to be celebrated
and I could say the same about
privilege and awareness
and any prejudice or ignorance that keeps you away
from acknowledging or
honouring the blessed life
of a fellow human
makes no sense to me… in any way
life is too often, very fragile
and to spend one’s time discriminating against another
because of closed minded, ill-informed notions
is really, in my opinion
a colossal
waste
of
loving kindness
while today,
despite the ridiculous tactics of
the incompetent blow-hard
to the
south
and his absurdly unqualified entourage
driven fully by favour, by ego and
greed
who try to use rhetoric as
diversion
to cover his own
unintelligible debacle
of leader(sinking)ship and disastrous foreign affairs
I AM
privileged enough
to celebrate
this country, the ‘True North
Strong
and Free’
and all of its people
born here, or otherwise
with diversity and freedom
and once again
recommitting myself, as nature does each year
to trying once again
with great hope and loving kindness
to doing
better
for all
because I am Canadian
and that’s how we
as stewards of this land that we live on
attempt
to make things
beautiful ♥ 🇨🇦