DEAR CANADIAN DIVER FRIENDS

To My Special Friends Forever,

I just returned from Canada last night. I am still weeping as I write this to all of you. Partly due to the nightmare itself and partly because of my overwhelming gratitude to the Canadian people. My journey to your wonderful country was supposed to be a special trip with my mother and sister to Toronto to see the Lion King on stage. I do not know how I could have gotten through those days without the love I received from complete strangers. Your countrymen held me and cried with me. The performance of the Lion King did go on this past Saturday night. After it was done the cast spoke to the audiance regarding the tragedy and a collection for the victims was started. The whole theatre came together in support. I was so moved by the outpouring of concern and love. So many of my country's flags were flown in halfmast in Toronto this past week that I could not count them all. As we left your great city, we stopped at the American Consulate. What I saw there will be with me the rest of my life. Hundreds of flowers, candles burning and heartfelt messages were left as a tribute. I walked up and down the sidewalk hand in hand with fellow Americans, Canadians and people of many
different countries. Finally my tears were spent and I continued on my journey back home.

It was hard for me to be away from my home during those impossible days, but what I experienced in your great nation has given me reason to believe in a bright future for humanity. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for all you did for me and my family during this difficult time. I feel I have made a nation of friends and I will never forget this as long as I live.

Love To You All,

Laine

Thats what friends do for one another.

Tim Butcher (Butch103) eace:

Thank you for sharing that with us Laine, stories like that are always welcome, and needed in these troubling times. I was in San Bernandino yesterday for a classic car show. The SB Fire Department was out there along with the police dept in full force collecting donations. They raised over $100,000 for the relief fund. Flags were flying at half mast, people were waving their own. It was a great feeling to see the entire country, and the entire world pull together for this one.

Thanks Laine. I thought I was done crying, but reading your story brought it all out again. Very touching indeed.
:sunny:

We cried with you last week and we'll stand with you in the weeks to come.

The consulate is across the street from my office. Come up again and bring you dive gear and we'll make some happy canadian memories.

Originally posted by Natasha
Thanks Laine. I thought I was done crying, but reading your story brought it all out again. Very touching indeed.
:sunny:

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You too Natasha! I can't seem to stop crying either. I get teary-eyed at the drop of a hat. Our international group of friends here have been more supporting than I could have even imagined, not just in word, but in deed. I believe it was OntarioDiver that informed us Canadians were packed in blood banks donating to help us Americans. If these monsteres thought to tear us apart they were sadly mistaken. The world has come together.

Thank you, all of my friends outside the US borders, from the bottom of my heart.

Kimmie

PS, OntarioDiver, I agree, Canada does make the best beer eh!

Ontario Diver,

Thank you for your invite. I wish I had known ahead of time how close I was to a fellow scubaboard member. When I return to Toronto (I say when not if), I will let you know. Your fine city will always hold a special place in my heart. I look forward to diving your waters one day.

Laine

As the other Canadians have said -- that's what friends do. I'm up in Ottawa, between the amazing number of US flags that are flying, and the tributes that are placed outside the US Embassy you get the real sense of what we feel. I go past the embassy every day on the way home from work, and seeing the outpouring brings tears to my eyes -- who ever said we Canadians were reserved!

Heck, when you do come back, do let us all know -- you'll be surprised just how many Neptune Divers can gather for a dive and meet a fellow diver!

as DivingGal said when you come back we will make arrangements for a bunch of us to go out and explore the depths of Ontario.

Butch eace:

Times of crisis like this really show you who your friends are. Thanks to all Canadians (as well as the English and the Austrailains and others) for the support you all have shown the U.S. It's nice to know that in times like this, we are not alone. You all are truly our friends and allies.