Patriotism

We have a custom here in the Great White North that when our fallen soldiers are brought home, we line the 401 highway  or our 'Highway of Heroes' to pay our respect as they travel past.

Yesterday Corporal Nathan Cirillo made that journey home.  The motorcade started in Ottawa - where he was shot on Wednesday - and traveled the highway all the way to Hamilton - his home town.

I have never joined the crowds of people lining the highway before - but yesterday I felt compelled to...........  

I have never felt such patriotism before in my entire life........ 
Flags flying......... people sharing their shock and anger and disbelief......... a voice in the crowd said "I have never felt this feeling of being part of something bigger than myself before - it's a good feeling!"

And we continued to peer over the railing of the bridge we were standing on - peering down the 401 - waiting for the motorcade.

And then it came................

And as it drew near - the crowd broke out in a spontaneous rendition of "O Canada" and I had such a lump in my throat.

The focus - for whatever reason - has been on Corporal Nathan Cirillo - 

BUT the day before Cirillo was shot another soldier - a soldier in Quebec was run down by another extremist ....... and he died a hero's death as well........ 
 

(photo credit to facebook)