Happy 4th of July!
Independence Day is one of my favorite holidays. I remember starting the day by participating in a parade which ended with ice cream, afternoons fearfully performing classical violin in front of a crowd who’d rather hear rock music, and popcorn and Coke while watching the fireworks at night.*
I carried on the popcorn and Coke tradition while watching fireworks after my father came to live with my husband and me. His brain damaged by dementia, my father didn’t quite understand the ribbons in the air (fireworks), but he held onto the same childlike curiosity that kept him asking questions and learning for most of his life.
The 4th of July in the U.S. commemorates the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776. (Actually, it was signed a couple days earlier when representatives of the 13 colonies risked life and limb to declare independence from Great Britain.)
Whether we celebrate Independence Day with family and friends in parades, at barbeques, and watching fireworks or enjoy a peaceful restful holiday, let us take time to remember the risks our forefathers took to ensure the United States of America would be an independent country free of British rule.
Let us also remember our soldiers who fought bravely to preserve our freedoms.
Let us raise our glasses with a toast to all our forefathers and foremothers whose diverse perspectives helped shape what our country has become these last 237 years!
*For more about our popcorn and Coke tradition while watching the 4th of July fireworks, click on Avadian’s Musings – What Coke contains.
