Canada is the second largest country in the world. The population exceeds 30 million. On Sunday, February 28th, at 3 p.m, half of the country’s residents sat down in front of a television set.
From first generation newcomers to original native inhabitants, right wing conservatives to left leaning socialists, mothers, fathers and children of all ages, eyes focused on the red and white figures on screen. It was time to watch the hockey game. But it wasn’t just any game. It was the Olympic Gold medal game and Team Canada was in the final. I was among the 16 million viewers who watched the entire event from puck dropping to medal awarding. A day later, I find still breaking into an automatic smile every time someone mentions the word ‘gold’. It was indeed a golden day. In fact, it has been a golden two weeks. I don’t believe I have to recite facts because anyone who is Canadian knows the details. The record breaking, the nail biting and the energy that rippled through an entire country when at the very peak of the sixteen-day event, the country’s star-boy hockey player sealed Canada’s fate in history and won gold in its national sport. It was called a fairy tale ending by the press. To me, it was karmic. It was meant to be. We, the polite group of northerners who will stand back and graciously and accept second place with a smile, knowing in our hearts that we were winners anyway, were finally granted the spotlight. It was the time to be bold, brave and cheer at the top of the hill. Because Canadians don’t look down from the top of the hill, they look up and around and say thanks, in many different ways, through various languages and with genuine hearts. We deserved it Canada! Congratulations!
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