Believe ©

Well, they are over.

The Olympics are gone almost as fast as they began leaving many fulfilled and happy while others with a sense of something, unfulfilled.

The motto of these games for Canadians has been “ Believe”.

I think that’s perfect especially for Canada.

Most of the time we are a quiet people.

We mind our own business and stay out of everyone else’s unless we are needed.

In times of war we were there before most others began thinking about it yet we don’t wave our flag around pointing out that fact.

In times of natural disaster we rush out immediately to help our fellow man but we do our best to play it down and disappear without notice when things once more look good.

Again we don’t wave our flag around for recognition because it’s not what we are about.

Like the rest of the world we are a proud people.

Proud Canadians.

Proud because, we come from proud people, all of us do.

Most of us come from people whom came here for one last chance for a better life from where there was none.

That’s our strength.

They didn’t come here seeking revenge or riches.

They came here seeking freedom and peace from what they were used too, a dream many had since birth.

Their only regret was those before them couldn’t experience this kind of freedom.

This country and its resources have always been here, way before any human stepped foot on its shores.

It’s beauty lies in its mountains and rivers that are surrounded by lush forests.

From just north of 60 to the North Pole and from coast to coast this country defines who we are.

We just scratch the surface to make us believe that we do but we don’t.

We have learned and are learning not to fight her but to work with her to achieve peace together so that we can coexist in harmony.

Those that came before us dropped their blades in the earth, turning it over to let it breath once more.

Bringing life to where there was none before and were repaid for their kindness with the fruits she provided for them.

It was the plough that united this country, every country.

The blades the bury deep and brought life to the earth.

From Canada’s humble beginning it has strived to live in peace with the earth and all those around us; the natives and our neighbors but when things called for action we stepped up and did what needed to be done.

No country has an unblemished history.

Ideals have changed and people have become more enlightened in matters of humanity.

Maybe because we all have begun to see we are all alike in more ways than not.

We don’t wave our flag for those events either as we don’t celebrate the taking of life but for living it.

A great people are those who weep for their wrongs not cheer for their wealth.

A great people are those who right the wrongs they have committed without shame but with respect.

This is not us but we are trying and getting better.

BELEIVE went out the call.

Every naturally born Canadian believed that we could be great when all the provinces joined to make us a country.

They all believed we could get along.

When immigrants started coming here to start over they believed that life would be better here even though they still loved the country they came from.

Many died trying to find that dream but many more found the dream they sought because they believed they could.

Such a powerful word, believe……………….BELIEVE!!!!!!!

We are small in numbers compared to the size of our lands but what we lack in numbers we make up for in heart and during these Olympics I saw lots of heart from here and from all the athletes representing their countries.

What did these athletes bring with them, hope and a belief that they could win for themselves and their country.

One day they saw something and said, I can do that.

I know I can.

I believe I can.

They believed they could champion their respected sport and proudly parade their colors around the arena for the rest of the world to see who they are and where they are from.

Amazing are the men and women who put in the effort and sacrificed large portions of their lives so that we could be proud to be Canadians.

Proud to call them our own.

To say that he or she lives next door to me or they come from my city/town or country.

We huddle around TVs in bars or our homes cheering them on and scream with delight when they are successful or left shattered with them when they don’t but there is something that can’t be earned or taken away from any of these athletes.

Their pride and the pride we have for them, win or loose because we know that there will be a next time and again we will bring our best game to the table.

Win or loose, they are our children, grandchildren, sons and daughter, mothers or fathers but mostly they are Canadians.

They are the sons and daughter of a proud beginning and a proud people with roots all over the world.

“Believe” said the commercials on the TV.

We did, as our forefathers did when they first came to this land.

We believed that we would give it our best and when everything is said and done, everything will be left in the arena.

Win or lose all our athletes are heroes whether they bring home medals or not for their sacrifices and loyalty to their sport and country make them heroes.

All our champions are as are all the athletes from all the other countries.

To these Canadians we raise and wave the Maple Leaf because this is who we are, this is what we love and how we like to live.

We are polite and gracious whether it serves us or not because that’s who we are.

We will help you up even if we didn’t knock you down and won’t pick your pocket doing it.

We may force you to listen to Celine Dion but that’s not our fault, it was part of the deal we made to keep Quebec in confederation.

We made poutine a national staple.

We dropped our flags and rallied around one of our own when grief engulfed her over the loss of her mother and she bent down and picked it up while still in her grief then leading a charge across the ice waving our flag with pride.

The whole country went silent in the dieing second of the gold medal game when the USA tied the hockey game with 24 seconds on the clock.

Hockey is the Holy Grail to a Canadian.

The goal by Zach Parise silenced a country.

From coast to coast a sure thing because a horror.

The Americans were figured to at best finish fifth but here they were.

Undefeated for the entire Olympics and now on our turf were poised to steal what we live for, hockey.

It’s not enough they won the most medals in the Olympics ever, they wanted gold in Hockey and looked good enough to take it too.

When the puck dropped in overtime the whole country held its breath.

Both goalies made amazing saves keeping both teams still in the hunt for gold.

It’s sudden death and at 7:40 into overtime, it ended.

A roar spread across a nation as a black chunk of rubber slipped between two red pipes ending a long journey that started four years earlier.

Under a pile of red and white in the corner was Sidney Crosby, our Olympic hockey hero.

Hundreds of thousands of people spilled into the streets across the country one more time to celebrate their supremacy on the ice.

Yet in the back of their heads they know.

Times are changing and the others are getting better but for today, we are number one.

This Olympics we had many firsts as a nation.

First time a gold medal has ever been won on Canadian soil.

We not only won our first but we won 14 of them setting a new winter Olympic record for most gold medals by one country.

Along with those gold medals we took in seven silver and five bronze medals for a total of twenty-six medals in all.

Third most in the Olympics and most ever won by Canada at the Winter Olympic games

If that’s not success I don’t know what is.

I watched the games from the opening ceremony to the closing ceremony and all of it was amazing.

From the preparations of the Olympics to the athletes themselves in all the events I watched.

I was impressed by some of the new countries performing for the first time ever as I was with the veterans returning to defend their previous successes.

Some defending their previous glory as others kneeled to a new, younger champion.

We started these Olympics with tears of sadness with the loss of an athlete but found strength with another’s bravery when she skated hours after the passing of her mother then ended it with pride and joy with all who partook in this event as she carried out our flag in the closing ceremonies.

We can’t change the weather or predict what it will be 4 years before the day as we can’t predict what fate will deal us out in the next hand.

All we can do is make the best of what we got and put our best foot forward, the rest is life.

Vancouver threw one hell of a party even while in the throws of a recession and cheers to Sochi Russia where the next one will be held.

I am sure they will also give us a show to remember.

I would like to thank all the athletes from around the world for their efforts and courage in being who they are and believing in themselves.

BELIEVE

Have a nice day

Walker