Reflections on Canada Day

By the time you read this, my family will be celebrating Canada Day 2020. Every family celebrates Canada Day differently. For my family, we spend it by taking a break from our busy lives to be together huddled around the campfire.

Donned in our red and white casual clothes, we typically spend it with my parents outside of Toronto. We may pick strawberries on the way, stop at the Cobourg fair, or take a ride through the Kawarthas. When we arrive, we play bocce (Grafton Rules). We reminisce with family members we rarely see. Once it's dark, we sit around a campfire on Lake Ontario's shores, watching the Cobourg fireworks.

But this year it will be different. There will be no strawberry picking, or fair to drop by at. Unfortunately, I'm not sure that my son, who has been receiving chemotherapy, will manage the trip. Instead, we will be social distancing in our three separate bubbles. There will be no bocce, but we are all excited to try the first day trip in 5 months. I'll be sad because it'll be the first without Holly and her antics around the pond.

It'll be the first with my #3's bees...but not quite ready for a honey testing.

However, I'll bring out the Canadian Cities' napkins, hoping it will lead to talks of our travels across the country. And we'll do the fireworks ourselves. I think this year I'll step aside and let the younger generation take on the responsibility.

I'll get out my Canada Day Quilt and watch from the sidelines. Although this Canada Day will be different from the ones we've had in the past, I look forward to creating new memories with the people I love.