Reflections

I come to you today as a proud Canadian.

The Vancouver Olympic Winter Games have come to an end, and Canada has set a new record for the most Gold medals ever won by a nation in the history of the Winter games.  And, as far as I know, it was done with fairness, in a spirit of good-natured sportsmanship and healthy competition.

Perhaps more importantly, I am proud about the way our country – and specifically Vancouver, Richmond, and Whistler – conducted itself in hosting the many peoples of the world who participated in and attended these games.

Today I want to share a beautiful and inspiring “slam” poem performed at the Opening Ceremony by a young gentleman named Shane Koyczan.  He painted a beautiful picture of this country that I am so privileged to be a citizen of.

But I would go further than that: I want to share this with you because it paints a picture of the kinds of things humankind can do when things go well.  To me, THAT is the most inspiring thing about this beautiful poem.

From what I can gather online, it appears he performed an abbreviated version of the entire poem.  Here I will share only what he performed at the Opening Ceremony.  I’ve since watched a YouTube video of him performing the poem, but his delivery is not NEARLY as inspiring as his performance at the Opening Ceremony, and I haven’t seen that version it show up on YouTube yet (I have it recorded on my PVR).  If you can get your hands on his performance at the Olympic Opening Ceremony – watch it.  I think it’s well worth your time.  For non-Canadians or non-hockey fans, the first three lines refer to hockey legends Rocket Richard (“The Rocket” who wore number 9) and Wayne Gretzky (“The Great One” who wore number 99).

Enough preamble.  Here it is:

We Are More

- by Shane Koyczan

Define Canada

You might say the home of the Rocket or the Great One

who inspired little number nines

and little number ninety-nines

but we’re more than just hockey and fishing lines

off the rocky coast of the Maritimes

and some say what defines us

is something as simple as please

and thank you

and as for you’re welcome

well we say that too

but we are more

than genteel or civilized

we are an idea in the process

of being realized

we are young

we are cultures strung together

then woven into a tapestry

and the design

is what makes us more

than the sum total of our history

we are an experiment going right for a change

with influences that range from a to zed

and yes we say zed instead of zee

we are the brightness of Chinatown and the laughter of Little Italy

we dream so big that there are those

who would call our ambition an industry

because we are vineyards of good year after good year

we reforest what we clear

because we believe in generations beyond our own

knowing now that so many of us

have grown past what used to be

we can stand here today

filled with all the hope people have

when they say things like “someday”

because we are more

than a laundry list of things to do and places to see

more than hills to ski

and countryside ponds to skate

we are the abandoned hesitation of all those who can’t wait

we are first-rate greasy-spoon diners and healthy-living cafes

a country that is all the ways you choose to live

a nation that can give you variety

because we are choices

we are millions upon millions of voices shouting

“keep exploring… we are more”

we are the surprise the world has in store for you

it’s true

Canada is the “what” in “what’s new?”

so don’t let your luggage define your travels

each life unravels differently

and experiences are what make up

the colours of our tapestry

we are the true north

strong and free

and what’s more

is that we didn’t just say it

we made it be.