Waiting For Columbus

Greetings Friends,

Well, it's that time of year again: Thanksgiving. Today is Thanksgiving Day here in Canada, otherwise known as a statutory holiday when everything is closed and people are supposed to be home eating turkey.

Today is Columbus Day in the US, the day Americans are supposed to celebrate the discovery of America by Christopher Columbus. I chose to mark the occasion with a graphic of one of my all-time favourite record albums, Little Feat's Waiting for Columbus.

Thanksgiving has a decidedly different feel here in Canada; first of all, it's on a Monday, second of all, it's still too warm outside. Third, not everyone celebrates it. At least not everyone in my family. I've been told that Americans are far more patriotic than Canadians, but to me, Canadians seem pretty patriotic. I guess I haven't been back here long enough to really grasp the idea of patriotism from a Canadian standpoint; although anyone who's immigrated here seems especially thankful to be in Canada. It's pretty strange, but right now, I'll take it. I'm glad to be able to celebrate a Canadian Thanksgiving, even though the last Thursday in November holds no significance in this country, other than the fact you can watch NFL football in the middle of the afternoon. I am again reminded of the juxtaposition of geographic proximity and vast cultural differences. That reminder gives me solace; not everyone aspires to be so American.

I had my turkey and stuffing yesterday, and for me, it's just Monday. Most everyone in the States is working, although the schools are closed and the kids are home. Thanksgiving/Columbus Day are different things to different people, and we'll inevitably just do our own thing. Part of me misses the turkey, the pumpkin pie and the football, but I don't miss Black Friday and how people tend to put so much emphasis on the holidays in general. I hope I will feel differently one day; for now, it's just Monday.

Enjoy your Thanksgiving or Columbus Day, depending which side of the border you're on. For me, it's business as usual.

Nava