In the words of singer-songwriter Carly Simon: ‘We can never know about the days to come, but we think about them anyway’
I’ve always seen “anticipation” as such a positive word: full of hope and happy expectation. Though the waiting for something — as Carly Simon intimates in her song — can be frustrating, I see it as a build up to enjoying a moment or situation that’s being looked forward to.
If I segue the feeling of anticipation to my living in Ottawa, then I am in the right place to enjoy whatever will come my way. To break this idea down further, I offer three reasons to explain how Simon’s song “Anticipation,” the National Capital Region and I connect.
Proximity to: Whether river, park, trail, restaurant, local boutique or favourite coffee place, they are all close at hand. Walking, running, cycling, driving — take your pick, I can get to them. The favourite hood I’m in, bordered by two other favourites, makes for ease, comfort, practicality and spontaneity. Anticipating a walk, picking up groceries or having a latte is simply lovely here.
Family here: The fact that immediate and extended family lives in the National Capital Region could be seen as a challenge by some. For me, it’s hugely fortunate. They could be anywhere else but chose to return to Ottawa and settle into jobs and raising their families on home turf. Better still, they are each other’s best friends, making get togethers special and fun. This community has been a significant backdrop to my family’s ongoing planning, commiserating, celebrating and anticipating what life has to offer.
Feeling the pulse: Though many have heard the well-worn cliché, “Ottawa, the city that fun forgot,” I see it from a more wide-angled view where vibes can be experienced, appreciated and maybe worried about. A city capital draws voices — political, activist, eco-minded, celebratory, angry, silly, conciliatory. The spectrum is wide giving one a broad sense of what is or could be brewing for public consumption locally, nationally and internationally. Feeling the pulse allows me to peek inside and better anticipate the inner workings of where we might be going as a city and a country.
Amid changing institutions, political parties, fluctuating demographics, earth and cultural shifts, will I make a difference? Can I make a difference living in the National Capital Region? I believe I can. One of the ways I can do this is simply this: anticipating — waiting for — a wonderful future, no matter how late it comes, and this is a good thing.
-30-