Nationalism

Last night I was relaxing with a couple of friends who have a very similar history to me. We laughed and talked about our home and how we came to be here. This re-kindled my love for this place and the people who inhabit it. It also reminded me of the bravery of my parents; picking up a family and moving to a foreign country – something I could not contemplate.

We talked about how our folks moved from various parts of Great Britain to this country. All of us were little more than toddlers at the time of our migration. We have grown up and started our own families under the southern sky. We easily conceded that this was amongst the best things that had been done for us. We agreed we are vastly better of than if we had of remained in the U.K.

So here are the two thoughts. I love this place and I thank my parents for their foresight.

I have often talked about this with my mum and dad (when he was alive). They too were happy with and proud of their move, but, unlike me, they still missed the life they had left behind. I know from my older siblings that my father had a difficult transition but I also know that he also loved this place and had no regrets. My mum still keeps in contact with those left behind – the news from ‘back home’ is a reminder of how much better we have it here.

These thoughts also bring a kind of sadness that my country is well down the road of disregarding the population in favour of very narrow interests. Like many other countries real wages have fallen and traditional safety nets have been removed. Freedoms and rights are collapsing while prejudice is increasing. I fear the younger generation will be worse off than their parents. I fear that the good old days may have already passed. I am angry in the knowledge that we are squandering our future for some very short term gains. Gains that have tended to concentrate around a minority. Gains, that are, in reality, borrowing from the future.

So while we are in an economic boom things are good but when the inevitable slow down occurs things will be tough.

The land of my country is great and wide. Natural beauty and resources abound. But these, just like the people, are being exploited with little regard for the future. Places I used to fish as a boy are barren. Forests I rode my bike through are now real estate. The market gardens that sustained this city are paved. I don’t think this uncontrolled development is wise. There is no buffer left. The subsistence option that held people during the 1930’s depression is not possible in our highly urbanised society.

Even taking these problems into account there are few better places to live. Even though we are falling into the trap that has captured much of the west we started from higher ground. Compared to many other countries we are free and have few class divisions. The people are still friendly and open. Our derogated environment is still hospitable and holds much beauty.

In all honesty my concern for this country and its people it is pure self interest. Anything that degrades the future of my home land will affect me. Anything that hurts the people hurts me. I don’t want to live in a dilapidated place.

I guess I have had it too good all my life and that alone is reason enough to love this place.