🎆Happy 4th of July, everyone!🎆
Growing up, my family didn't "celebrate" holidays except for Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. We barely mentioned that the "lesser holidays" were even holidays. Independence Day wasn't really celebrated any differently than, say, Arbor Day, and when I look back on the 4th of Julys from my childhood, I only remember a handful of things.
My absolute favorite thing about the 4th of July during my younger years was helping Dad get our big American flag out of the garage and hang it on the house. He reserved this act only for Memorial Day and Independence Day, which made it more special to me at the time.
Once that quick act was done, I'd hang around the house avoiding the heat as best I could. Mom and Dad didn't like to use the air conditioner when I was a kid, and many a night I'd sweat it out in my bedroom where the air was usually cooler outside than indoors. I frequently thought about slipping out the window and sleeping on the roof.
I may have, a time or two, over the years. I plead innocent, though.
My Dad likes to remind me that during those days, my Mom even forbade the use of the ceiling fan in their bedroom, and he had to sleep with a battery-operated handheld fan blowing hot air into his face all night.
Since moving to Florida, they have at least begun using the air conditioner. Thankfully.
After our little flag-hanging ceremony, I'd watch TV or play games on the computer, counting the hours until Dad finished whatever project he was working on that day. That meant it was time to grill some burgers or hot dogs for dinner.
And that pretty much summed up the bulk of our annual celebration.
After dinner, my parents would turn on the news or something like This Old House, so I'd head to my room to find something to do. Later on, I'd try to catch the New York City fireworks on TV, although I do remember a few nights seeing the glow on the southern horizon from our upstairs windows, although not very well. It certainly could have been my imagination, *wishing* I could see them.
We lived close enough that on 9-11-2001, you could see the smoke from the city from our little town, so it's reasonable enough, I suppose.
In high school, my parents began watching the Boston Pops Orchestra play patriotic music on PBS during the evenings. At that age, and today, if I'm being honest, I'd rather have watched paint dry.
My brother and I would look forward to using a small batch of handheld sparklers as the sun set. We'd stand in the driveway and wave them around for a while before growing bored enough to chase each other. Our goal was always to burn the other, like any good brother would.
My parents forbid the use of any fireworks stronger than a sparkler because, when I was about 4 or 5, my Dad set off some fireworks in the street for us. One launched itself directly onto a neighbor's roof in a fiery blaze of explosive American glory, amd I vaguely remember being scooped up as we ran into the house to hide. That day was the end of fireworks in our household.
They were also technically illegal in New York, and we were rule followers.
One summer in high school, I gave the neighbor kid most of my meager earnings from my summer job to buy a large bag of fireworks that he had picked up during his vacation with his parents in the mountains of Pennsylvania, where they were legal to purchase.
Mom confiscated them, and years later, when I was home from college for the summer, I found them hidden on the shelf in our cellarway. One day, when they weren't home, I lit them all off in the street and nearly set the dried-out summer grass of our front lawn on fire. Thankfully, my brother was close to Gramps' garden hose.
Sorry, Mom.
As difficult as it was to purchase fireworks in New York, I now live in a state with the motto "Live Free or Die," and even stores like Target, Dollar Tree, and CVS offer large fireworks sections.
Freedom!
The Independence Day/4th of July holiday celebrates all that is America. I frequently tell my daughter that it's the greatest place to live in the world and that we should all be grateful to be here, whether born in this country or not. We should also never forget those who have gone before us, who worked hard, sacrificed, and built the greatest nation on Earth. We should always be thankful for those who died for this country so that, as Americans, we can live how we want. Many Americans take those freedoms for granted and have no idea how fortunate we are when compared to other parts of the world. Just try half of the shenanigans people get away with in America anywhere else and see what happens.
I wouldn't recommend it.
I'm very thankful that the school we have chosen to send her to also teaches this and emphasizes patriotism in their classwork and daily routine. I'm saddened to hear that many school districts no longer even teach the Pledge of Allegiance.
Many moons ago (in 2019), the guys at The Retro Network asked what pop culture references, such as moments from a television show or movie, make us think most about America. My answer then, as it is now, was easy to think of:
The 4th of July nighttime baseball game from the movie The Sandlot makes me think of America most of all. When Ray Charles' rendition of "America, the Beautiful" plays, it makes me feel happy and excited for the future, melancholy for the past, and proud and patriotic all at once.
Please take 2 minutes to watch the clip above. It's worth it, I promise.
If the video doesn't load on my site, CLICK HERE TO WATCH IT ON YOUTUBE.
Happy Fourth of July, everyone! Here's to a Happy Summer!
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