Grateful for the Unbreakable US-Canada Brotherhood

I was born in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, and then grew up in beautiful Vancouver, British Columbia. I got to experience two wonderful Canadian communities, and I remain a proud Canadian. Today I live in Summit, New Jersey, and have also been a proud American for more than 35 years.

I am so blessed to be a citizen of both nations, and I have enjoyed the rich traditions and beauty of each country throughout my life.

The friendship that these two nations enjoy is unique. We are more than just cousins that share a border; we are family with a common sense of decency and kindness.

A few fun facts. These two wonderful countries have the longest unprotected boarder in the world. Canada has a surface area of 3,855,100 square miles, while the United States has a total area of 3,809,525 square miles. Talk about compatibility. It’s also easy to travel to and from the two countries: No visas needed. Some people even live in one country and work in the other, crossing the border on their way to and from work every day.

As I write this, I am sitting on a picturesque lake in the home of my dear friends Jared and Fiona in North Hatley, Quebec, which is a beautiful hamlet of mostly French-speaking citizens. All the street and shop signs here are in French. Canada is proudly bi-lingual (French and English). We drove up from our cabin in upstate New York, in an area which has nothing but English signs. But the U.S. does not have an official language. That’s another fun fact.

What makes this article personal for me is that Canada Day is on July 1 and U.S. Independence Day is on July 4. That means I get to celebrate for an entire week the founding of both of my countries. I love that!

Although the U.S. and Canada are different in many ways, I feel blessed to have experienced the best of both. In Canada hockey fuels a passion that keeps people going during the long winter months; while in the U.S., pro and college football drives similar excitement and passion. In Canada people love poutine, while in America we fire up the grill for hamburgers. You can’t lose either way.?

I love that my Elton family is both north and south of the border, and we all get along well and love each other without condition. I look at the Elton clan as the blueprint for our countries. They are kind, loving, and respectful, and they epitomize the best of both worlds.

In my adopted country of America, there is one thing that always makes me feel at home: Maple Syrup. Whether it comes from New York, Vermont, or Quebec, a taste of brown gold always reminds me of my roots. It is sweet, smooth, and there is no question it’s an essential part of a long happy and healthy life. I’m so Canadian that I often put maple syrup on my maple syrup. That’s how I roll.

So this year, as we celebrate Canada Day and Independence Day, let's put aside for a week the troubles we all face. Let’s be grateful for good neighbors and the brotherhood of two nations that each have goodness, kindness, and diversity within. Long live this wonderful friendship. That is something we should always treasure nurture and never take for granted.

Happy Canada Day and Happy Fourth of July!?

What do your celebrations look like this year? I would love to hear your stories.

With gratitude,

The Gratitude Files??

Anxiety at Work podcast. Each week, my co-author and dear friend, Adrian Gostick , and I are grateful for the opportunity to talk to leading authorities on mental health and explore the causes of workplace stress and anxiety, along with practices that are proven to reduce tension & cultivate calm.

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????? The Importance of Mental Health at Work: Comparison to physical health to highlight the need for equal treatment and attention.

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???? Creating a Culture of Learning and Development: Democratizing access to quality learning content and fostering a supportive environment for skill development.

?? Finding Purpose and Practicing Optimism: The significance of practicing optimism and being epically empathetic in leadership.

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Our guest, Alexandra Hyland , Ketchup Enthusiast, Practicing Optimist, Permanently Curious, Sometimes Funny, and Epically Empathetic--- the Head of Functional Learning & Culture shares how Kraft Heinz supports the mental health and development of their 37,000 employees, transforming stress into success by using the power of curiosity and intentional learning.

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