I’ve grown to enjoy the day when we celebrate another year in the history of our nation.  I like walking down to the park, listening to the music, watching the multitude of flags flying from car hoods and childrens’ hats and marching bands.  I like watching my kids run around while the band plays our national anthem.

I especially love the giant flag cake.

It’s a big deal when the cake arrives.  It arrives on its own special car, at the end of a parade of old-fashioned cars, and is big enough to feed several hundred patriots.
There’s something special about celebrating the place where you live.  It’s a small portion of a day where one can proudly say “this place is a good place to live. And for that, I’m thankful.”  This is what we call patriotism.

Patriotism: The academic edition

In our current reality, patriotism has become closely intertwined with images of battle, conflict, and supporting our troops.  Being a patriot conjures up images of flags waving in the background, with immaculately-trained troops going to battle against an invisible enemy.   I can admit it, I’m a war aficionado.

Given the choice of learning about history, or the history of warfare, I’d default to the latter.  I enjoy learning about the weaponry and the political maneuverings of warring states.  I’ve even spent time in Israel studying the details of modern and historical warfare.  Not that I’m a gun nut (or even remotely so), but the details of history are fascinating to me.

Call me a war geek.

It’s not my fault, really.  As a young child of about eight, my brother and I discovered my grandfather’s naval uniform in a trunk, tucked away in the basement of his house.  Inside this trunk were things we had never seen in real life.  A naval uniform, complete with a hat, sat neatly folded in the bottom of the trunk.  A few bullets, the size we had never seen, had been collected.  There were newspaper clippings of men in uniform standing aboard a ship, saluting perfectly.

It was as if we had stumbled across a family treasure.  What had my grandfather done while in this very uniform?  What lands had it seen?  What sort of battles had it been a witness to?  How had my grandfather felt while he was wearing this uniform?

It wasn’t until later in life that I rediscovered this passion for history.  In university, I was forced to take a class called The Violent Century: a Look at Historical Warfare.  I begrudgingly sat for three hours as a professor ranted about the details of modern combat between nations.  However, as the semester wore on, there was a growing problem.

I was hooked.

The brilliance of my professor was found in his recounting of the historical record.  It wasn’t about dates.  It wasn’t about accomplishments.  It was about the humanity behind the history. What were soldiers thinking when they first donned their gas masks and engaged the enemy?  What kind of emotions took hold when a fellow soldier was killed by an invisible sniper?  How did it feel to live in the trenches of the Second World War?  Even more recently, how does our country engage in conflict and how does it affect the family life of soldiers?

My experience with guns and conflict and war have been limited to two venues: an exercise in academics and through the lens of CNN.  I am limited to the snapshots of war – another soldier killed, a military exercise over there, a soldier returning home.

Patriotism: The human edition

I recently had the experience of encountering a soldier in full uniform.  On the news that night, I had seen that one battalion had returned home after serving on a tour in Afghanistan.  Immediately, I wanted to approach him and thank him for what he had done for my country.  I mean, when we’re talking about patriotism, these people are on the front lines of the definition.

Being a patriot is literally defined as one who loves and defends his or her country. Regardless of your opinions on the current wars raging across our world, there are men and women, fellow human beings, fighting in the wars that we watch on our television screens.

I walked past the soldier.

Either out of embarrassment or timidity, I didn’t say anything.  I’m not sure I would know what to say, except a stumbling “thank you.”  This has been the extent of my experience in patriotism.  And yet the news has brought to me an entirely new perspective on patriotism and war.  Recently, on a few major news sites, there have been a regular occurrence of men and women returning home from the war.  Soldiers returning to their families.

The best images have come from inside classrooms.  Dads and Moms, dressed in fatigues, surprising their young children by coming home early.  Inevitably, the child breaks down in tears, runs to Mommy or Daddy, and weeps uncontrollably into the uniform of their country.

Well, color me patriot.

Strip away the flag-waving politicians and the loud military music and our nation is about people.  It’s people with families and friends, individuals who have chosen to serve in a way that our country calls them to.  Dads who have daughters and sons waiting at home — daughters with bright futures and sons with developing potential.  Mothers who have the invaluable gift of nurturing and loving.

If becoming a patriot is to love one’s country, despite its flaws and mistakes, then by extension, it means loving the people that are part of that country. And, despite the fact that some of those citizens cut me off on my way to work this morning, there is something great about being able to celebrate our nationality together.  It is wonderful to be free to let our kids run around while our national anthem plays.  It is a gift to lay in a park, listening to music play from a community band, to enjoy the celebration of another year in our nation.  It’s incredible to be able to wave our flag and think about the blessed life that we are able to take part in, to say ‘thank you’ to those soldiers in uniform that pass us on the street.

And, of course, to eat flag cake.

Related reading:
Military Lives – The amazing life stories of patriots who fight for their country
Confronting Giants – An online interactive life study on finding strength to face life’s challenges

I don’t know what’s been going on in your hometown lately, but here in Toronto Canada we had a weekend full of violent protests.

Unfortunately most of the potential significance of the G20 summit was lost amidst the unfortunate violence and predictable condemnation of both the violent protesters and the police force – alternatively people are condemning the police for not doing enough to prevent the violence and sometimes in the same breath for doing too much! (Globe & Mail)

This incident is a black eye on the reputation of the usually wonderful city where I live, even though most of the violent “protesters” (in contrast to the majority of people there, who were peaceful protesters) were nothing more than opportunistic, cowardly vandals who cared little about the issues.

Incidents like these and a general feeling of skepticism and mistrust of government in general have led patriotism to be considered lame. Or even worse, could patriotism be intolerant? (Intolerance being the worst insult in a politically correct society.) Having pride in my country, thinking that it is in any way better than another, could be seen as being intolerant to other countries.

But I think the recent FIFA World Cup tournament provides an interesting example of how patriotism and tolerance are not opposed. Even though it is a sports competition between countries, it still is meant to be a way to foster greater understanding and camaraderie between the nations. At the end of FIFA matches, football (soccer) players will exchange their jersey with a member of the opponent squad as a way of “showing respect and camaraderie between combatants.”  This sort of competition demonstrates that it’s possible to be patriotic and love your country while simultaneously respect others. (Yahoo!Sports)

So I don’t think patriotism is lame or antiquated. Canada Day was July 1 and Independence Day in the USA is July 4. This year, instead of negatively focusing on the problems and failings of our governments, why not spend some time thinking about what is good and praiseworthy about the nations in which we live?

What do you love about your country? What do you consider good and praiseworthy about it, and wish to share with the world?

USA & Canada: What’s the Difference?
Some quick math: Dividing the population of Canada by the total area (in square miles) gives us a ratio of nearly 10:1 … so if the land in Canada were divided evenly, each person in Canada would have 10 square miles to themselves! Americans celebrate independence day on July 4, while Canadians celebrate their country’s birthday on July 1. Americans: How do you plan to celebrate your country this year? Canadians: How did you celebrate? Read more

Take action: Are you finding it difficult to celebrate right now? Are you ready to experience more joy in your life? Explore our Living with Significance online interactive life lesson!

You said it: This week, jackie commented on Michael Jackson, “King of Pop”, dead at age 50, saying “Sometimes I think people with such genius & creativity are “cursed” – cursed by their perfectionism, eccentricity and need to be push the limits. I’m sad that such giftedness also comes at a price: a life of alienation and personal tragedy.” Read the rest of the comment, and check out the post to add your own thoughts: Read more

Article: What’s God got to do with it?
What does your soul crave? Remember this, what can settle your mind will not settle your soul. It will stir it up. Read more

Blog: Becoming a Citizen
Arnold Schwarzenegger was once asked about being an immigrant and in his response he said, “I have been received.” That’s such a perfect statement of what it means to become a citizen by means other than birth. Read more

Coming up next week: One of the topics of our upcoming online chats is “Overcoming Feelings of Loneliness” Join us in the chat room July 7th 2009 @ 4:00pm EST for this chat or see also our full chat calendar for other upcoming topics.

Some quick math: Dividing the population of Canada by the total area (in square miles) gives us a ratio of nearly 10:1 … so if the land in Canada were divided evenly, each person in Canada would have 10 square miles to themselves! As comedians Will & Ian Ferguson remark in their popular book “How to be Canadian“:

As noted, Canada has a very low population-to-area ratio. So low, in fact, that you might be wondering how you will ever meet any actual Canadians. … But fortunately, Canadians tend to clump themselves together in places known, for lack of a better word, as “cities”. … In the province of Manitoba alone, for example, more than half the population lives in one large mega-city: Winnipeg. And they all hang out at the mall.

Americans celebrate independence day on July 4, while Canadians celebrate their country’s birthday on July 1. How do you plan to celebrate your country this year? And how do you see the USA & Canada being similar, or differing?

Image credit: derpunk