The May 24th weekend is here! It's the unofficial start of the summer season! What plans do you have for this long weekend? Are there traditions that you and your family and friends follow? Are you going to open your cottage for the summer? Will you go fishing? Are you staying close to home? Do you have to work on this holiday? Will you sit on your patio or in your back yard and read a novel? Are there plans for a BBQ?

We each have to find our own way of celebrating. I would suggest that our long weekend include a few minutes of naming our hopes and dreams for the summer. Then, when we come to the Labour Day weekend in several months, we will be able to look back on the summer in greater appreciation of what's been experienced.

In previous posts on igNation, I've provided some of the history of this holiday and have offered some of my favourite quotes from Queen Victoria. I'm sure that the Victoria Day edition of your local or national newspaper will offer a few tidbits about Victoria and how she was so un-amused. You'll likely find plenty of references to the holiday on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and other social media sites.

The daily editorial page cartoon often finds a way of using Victoria to poke fun at political events in the country or to have her reaction to our current Canadian news. If I were a cartoonist, I'd find a way of linking this holiday and our need as Canadians to be compassionate toward all who have suffered because of the fires in Fort McMurray.

Let me offer a modest proposal in light of the fact that Queen Elizabeth II is the longest reigning British monarch. I wonder if we should change the name of the holiday to Elizabeth Day. She surpassed Queen Victoria on 15 September 2015 and has been on the throne since 06 February 1952. Perhaps we can find a way to convince our political leaders to make a change. Elizabeth is certainly one of the most loved and respected leaders in the world. Her serious great aunt would probably have a difficult time understanding the culture in which we live. Elizabeth understands it. Her annual Christmas Day message generally invites us to reflect on and pray for the world and it includes references to specific events in the life of the world. 

Elizabeth may be extremely discrete and she never wades into the controversies of our day, but she has a sense of humour and is not hesitant about allowing her popularity to be put to use to promote a good cause. Here are two illustrations. Did you see the James Bond and Elizabeth II act at the opening of the London Olympics a few years ago?  Did you catch the recent video where she and Prince Harry mock Barack and Michelle Obama as a promotional piece for the Invictus Games? 

Happy Elizabeth Day!