Canadian-ness

"I saw all the flags and everyone wearing red and white and I felt so ... so proud to be Canadian."

I've heard variations on this theme every day since the Olympics came to (and left) Vancouver. Initially it grated on my nerves. Why does their patriotism arise only on these sorts of occasions? But I realized that I'm guilty of the same crime.

Don't get me wrong, I love Canada. All the time. But before I saw the seas of red and white filling the streets and hundreds of maple leafs waving at me from every angle I wouldn't have said I'm particularly patriotic.

So what is it that incited this swell of feeling in us during the Olympics? I think it comes down to one word: community. For two weeks we weren't separated by race or creed or political leanings (for the purposes of this post please just accept this statement). We all identified with an overarching commonality ... Canadian-ness! The property of being Canadian.

We were reminded for a little while that there's at least one thing that unites us. It felt good to be a part of something, a community, a group of people with a shared goal. It felt good to belong.