Red and white and complicated

~ how we learned to be a country

It’s June 30th, and it’s a holiday tomorrow, sure.

Honouring the past while figuring out what comes next.

Tomorrow - across the country, fireworks, flags, food, maybe friends or family. For some, an extended long weekend, a red-and-white wardrobe choice. And for many, a reason to raise a toast to this strange, stubborn, sprawling country. Mostly, kids, picnics, ice-cream, beer and lawnmowers humming. And sleeping in. That will be tomorrow, and for many not working today, this Monday and tomorrow will extend the long in long-weekend.

But there’s more to celebrate than a date on a calendar.

This isn’t just a birthday, it’s a checkpoint on a journey. A look back, a look ahead, and a reminder that what we carry forward depends on what we’ve learned, and whether we’ve figured out how to use it.