This past number of months has been unlike anything I have experienced before. Normally people just go about their business with nothing really all that interesting to talk about with each other except the weather, or maybe hockey. Days go by and people generally keep to themselves and there is a sense of normality. I used to feel that I was wandering aimlessly in a world of people, none of which really felt associated with one another very much. But recently things have changed. I suppose part of it is that I spent a good number of years in my home town and now live in a much larger and seemingly more interesting and multi-cultural place. But I think a big part of it is that people have all experienced things as a group that have given them reasons to feel more as one.
The SARS outbreak in Toronto, which sadly claimed the lives of dozens of people and scared millions of others really made us realize how close we are and how vulnerable we are to seemingly distant problems. The hopeful rebound from SARS, celebrated by two very excellent concerts have given people in Ontario, but specifically Toronto a reason to all feel more together. The feeling at the Stones for Toronto concert was one of intense patriotism. People were coming together to enjoy a weekday afternoon and evening of music and celebration. Even after everyone had been in the hot sun all day, when it was midnight and time to go home, everyone politely boarded busses and subway trains and went home virtually without incident. Why would there be any problems? We're all in this together.
And most recently, the huge power distribution system crash that caused millions of people to experience loss of power really made us realize how much we rely on the things we take for granted. On my way home I saw regular people directing traffic in major downtown intersections. A woman with a purse over her shoulder was risking her safety on Bay Street. A man in work clothes found an orange safety vest to wear and was helping out in another intersection. People were giving bottles of water to them, since it was 33C and they were standing on hot pavement. During the night of the power failure we cooked by gas, illuminated by flashlight. We listened to the radio on battery power and looked at the clear sky. My friends had a neighbourhood party on their lawn, and met all sorts of new people. Their Tiki torches signaled the way to slightly warm mixers and good conversation. Meanwhile we had fried rice, burgers, and as much beer as we could consume before it got warm. All the while listening to the CBC interview regular people from all over the province. It all felt so nice to know that everyone was in it together. The next morning the Toronto Star showed their dedication to their business by publishing a thin 16 page paper, printed on a borrowed press that was able to run on backup power. The first thing I thought was: "That's cool!" I mean, they could have just called it quits, since so much of their business is probably impossible without electricity. But somehow they managed to pull off a professional, albeit small paper. Damn, that's cool!
So I think that the outcome of the past six months or so of regional happenings has been that I have become more patriotic. I realize that it's dedicated and creative people that really make the difference, and make Canada the great place that it is. It's politicians that are quick to say the right things on the radio, it's musicians that entertain and lift spirits, it's technicians that work in the middle of the night to fix problems, and doctors that diagnose diseases soon enough to stop their spread. It's radio journalists that work overtime to bring everyone up to date, and just regular people that are friendly and accommodating in times of need.
I am proud to live in a country where all of this can happen.
I am proud to be Canadian.