Editorial: The Strange Nature of Dual Citizenship
I think that every kid goes through a phase of thinking that their experience of the world is universal. Even as we get older, there are some things that we still assume most people have done before. As a swim instructor for kids, I’m still surprised when I encounter adults that never had a chance to learn how to swim. As a Canadian citizen, I’m not so much surprised as I am sad when I find out that a person hasn’t ventured into the Great White North.
I was born and raised in rural western New York to a Canadian mother and an American father. (My dad’s family has lived in our area for generations – he jokes he had to marry a Canadian so he didn’t accidentally marry a relative.) From my earliest days, we were going up to Canada two or three times a year to visit aunts, uncles, grandparents, and cousins.
Having loved ones on both sides of the border gave my siblings and me a unique perspective on things from an early age. We noticed that our mom and dad had slightly different accents. My mom called them “pencil crayons” instead of “colored pencils.” As a kid, I asked an uncle what the difference between the U.S. and Canada was. He said, “In Canada, there are a lot less people and a lot more trees.” It’s true – that’s part of the reason why I (and many biting insects) love it so much.
Part of our Christmas gift one year came in a manila envelope. Our parents had jumped through the hoops for us to be dual citizens – we were officially Canadians. We had always felt like we belonged, but it was beautiful for that reality to be written on paper.
It’s a strange thing to belong to two places. Your loyalties shift. You notice ugly realities you never would have seen otherwise.
I think this is a good metaphor for our lives as Christians. We belong to two places: the current fallen reality and the already/not yet Kingdom of God. Belonging to the latter puts the allegiances of the former in perspective. Christianity prompts us to see the ugly realities of our world in new ways. But, unlike my dual citizenship, our dual citizenship comes with the promise that all things will be made new when the Kingdom of God is fully realized. What a beautiful thing!
I’m grateful to be a part of two nations that mean so much to me. It’s also cool to have the reality of Christianity playing out metaphorically in my life. There’s some overlap: I’ll bet, in the new creation, everyone will have the opportunity to visit Canada – with all the poutine, trees, and canoeing and none of the nasty weather and mosquitoes. What a day that will be!
This article is by Julia Hotchkiss, Alumni Office Student Worker.
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