by Mario Dimain

Created on: June 22, 2009

Of all the animals roaming this planet, it is without a doubt that Homo Sapiens reign superior. We are that breed, created special with solemn responsibilities to be the guardians of Planet Earth. As humans, we have the power to tame the wild and build communities out of wilderness. We are people, endowed with many creative abilities and one of them is the special ability to dream.

Whether we dream big or dream small, the cost is free. But when followed through, the fulfillment can bring its ultimate glory.

The great explorer, John Cabot sailed away with his dream across the big seas and discovered a new land. He found a vast land filled with many opportunities and new beginnings. It was also the ground that embraced the flow of the early settlers from United Kingdom, Europe and China. They were the hardworking groups of people who built the land as a strong nation. They opened the doors to the flocks of immigrants, so they too can fulfill their lifelong dreams, the dream to be free and the dream to build better lives. This beautiful land where dreams are bountiful is known to the rest of the globe as Canada, one of leading countries of the world today,

Just like other immigrants, I also had a dream. When I was a child, I would sit down by the sandy coast line of Zambales and look as far as my eyes could see across the South China Sea, and then I would imagine the good life that awaits me beyond the horizon. I fantasized a place where all poor children have toys to play with and still be able to eat good meals three times a day. I imagined a nation where the poor and the rich are treated equal. I dreamed of a country where authorities are respected rather than feared. These lively thoughts and vivid imagination would amuse me for hours, but it also made me wonder if there was really such a place.

My children have lived my childhood dream. It is Canada that made it happen. Although they were raised in Filipino values and have South East Asian features, they are Canadians. They were all born in this country. They are part of Canada's diverse multicultural society that is interwoven with mutual desire to protect and preserve the greatness of this nation.

Unlike my children, I am not Canadian born. But in my thirty-four years in Canada, my heart grew loving this country that adopted me. And it is not far from the truth to say that I am Canadian grown. I feel I am just as Canadian as my children. We all share the same loyalty to the flag of this land.

I love Canada. This is where I belong, the country of all nations. This is the place where all ethnic backgrounds are treated with dignity. It is also the place where freedom and equality are strongly upheld. My fondness for this country is better expressed in my photo journal of its people and mixed cultures; cities and towns; and its breath-taking natural beauties.

It is my ardent wish that on my final day, my family bury me in this land, the land that has been my home for more than half of my lifetime. I hope and pray that on my resting ground, wild flowers will bloom to silently tell the clouds in the sky, "Here, lies a man who fulfilled his dream and forever grateful to Canada."

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