I pulled on a wife beater, my faded old shorts and blue stitched boots early this morning. Snatched my hair in a rough pony tail, put the diamond studs in my earlobes, grabbed the tobacco colored straw cowboy hat off the counter and headed out the door. I had shopping to do, goods to buy. No time to waste when the heat’s licking past 95 a few hours after sunrise and rolling off the parking lots in brutal sheets by noon.
July Fourth is my favorite holiday. I love that I don’t have to buy gifts for anyone or wear pantyhose. It’s not a fancy holiday, I’d call it a celebratory memorial more organic in nature than formal minded. Perfectly suited to picnics, swimsuits, slices of ice cold watermelon and children running gin wild, sugar high on cane fueled soda and orange popsicles.
The dissonance of what we’re celebrating and how we go about the celebrations is wonderfully American. We expect that our Declaration of Independence is the natural order of things for all men, that our founding was a providential blessing guided by a convocation of brilliant men, most of all, we know that we’re deserving of the great bounty served up by over two hundred years of tradition. It’s our birthright, taken for simple grant and too often spit out in grand ignorance beside the unseen ghosts of fierce independence and hot spilt blood who gave everything to create our freedom. Brilliant men of courage and conviction gave me this voice.
I’m not a sentimental woman. I don’t cry at weddings, only one of the many funerals I’ve attended ever caused me to come undone, hell, most of life’s other significant moments leave me unmoved. Standing with a crowd of strangers in a full stadium singing the Star Spangled Banner chokes me up, holding a hand over my heart, reciting the Pledge of Allegiance in unison with a large gathering of Boy Scout families causes the tears to fill, watching a twenty minute tribute to our military at Sea World before the dumb orca show, sees hot salt spilling down my cheeks. Sounds hokey, right? That’s just how I roll. I love this beautiful country and participating in the powerful unity we share when our anthems are collectively invoked moves an ancient place in my soul towards a plane of highly sanctified grace.
Tripping back to my shopping excursion: meat, beer and explosives were high on the list. We like to fill up on a variety of grillable meats and tasty sides this fine holiday, copious amounts of iced beer will be flowing by noon. When dark falls, the home sparked fireworks will annoy the shit out of a dozen plus neighbors. I bought a hundred dollars worth of minor TNT this morning, they filled up the narrow board of our local vendor’s plank and ended up looking like meager pickings on my wide kitchen table two hours later. I figure we’ve bought maybe forty minutes worth of explosive boy joy. Next year I’m expanding the budget for more ear shattering nirvana. My favorite holiday happens tomorrow, the founders should be well honored by my freedom and happiness. God Bless those brave, wise men who let me speak, yell, raise hell and blow some fine fireworks in their honor.
Happy Fourth of July, y’all.
I’m not ashamed to admit that I get a little misty eyed when I hear the Star Spangled Banner. And I’m not a very sentimental person. Even when people close to me have died, I don’t all torn up.
I was happy when the law was changed allowing us retired military folks to salute the flag during the Anthem,even when not in uniform. It never felt right not to salute.
Happy Indenpendence Day to you and yours!
I first time I heard a Bob Dylan album, I thought this boy is either on drugs or crazy.
So I say to you..From the lakes of Minnesota to the hills of Tennessee, ‘cross the plains of Texas, from sea to shining sea,
thanks for standing up in this wasteland of the free.
Daphne, I make up for all your unshed tears—I cry about everything. Could be hormonal, since I am a finalist for the world’s longest menopause, but that’s a story for another day.
In my whole life, I don’t think I’ve ever sung the entire National Anthem. Can’t do it. Not even to the second stanza. I fall apart every time. But my favorite renditions of the National Anthem are those where all assembled join together and sing. The voices that can reach the high notes are held aloft by those wonderful voices down in the bedrock range. That’s the way the song was meant to sung of course, not by a soloist, but by everyone.
Two out of three. The explosives I just don’t get.
Besides.
It scares the cats.
Have fun.
Live in an urban apartment: no grilled meat (not a loss). No beer (I drink vine, preferably old Port). The neighborhood predominantly Muslim: not many fireworks expected. Doesn’t make sense even to go to the pier to watch fireworks popping open above Lady Liberty, as I usually do – “NJ had stolen our firework display!“(c)
I love this day. This is the holiday that makes sense the most: a commemoration of the freedom-giving event, celebration of reason and liberty. It concerns everybody, living and passed away and those unborn yet. As long as this country lives to the declared principles.
Have great 4th of July, everyone!
Happy Fourth to you! Have a great one!
Amen, Daphne.
God bless you and every American––red, white, blue, or any other color! ‘Tis a day to celebrate our freedom. May we all stand ready to defend it every day.
Semper Fi,
Bruce
USMC, 1964-68
You do the Fourth the way it was meant to done, Sweet Thang.
As for me, I’m a lil perturbed. The city blind-sided me last night, choosing to shoot off the annual fireworks display on the third, rather than tonight. That’s just WRONG. But the fireworks were great, as they always are.
Happy Independence Day!
Dang, Buck that’s really weird. Did they get the date wrong?
Happy 4th of July y’all!
Thanks for the kind wishes, the day is going splendidly – I’m half in the bag, somewhat sunburnt and ready to kill the kids. They’ve been bugging me about when it’s going to get dark since seven this morning.
Arthur, come on down to my house some July and we’ll show you the joys of small explosives. I’ll liqueur you up first though before I hand you a punk. ;-)
I’ll bring my ear muffs.
Thanks.
Maybe I’m a little weird, but I just came back from the public fireworks display, and the same 2 thoughts kept running around in my head over and over. It’s the same two every year.
The first is, “What chemicals were involved in the explosives? I think they used magnesium for the white…I think I read someplace that sodium makes blue….”
The second is, “Exactly what are we celebrating here? Has this day any meaning left other than an excuse for a cookout?”
Seriously. Are we firing things into the air to celebrate the end of old King George’s rule over us? Still? Is it much different from the Orangemen marching through Catholic neighborhoods in Belfast, Ireland…to commemorate some battle fought in 1368 or whatever it was?
As I sat watching the pyrotechnics, I couldn’t help thinking about the way the country is being dismantled and dissembled piece by piece. The ideals are being cast aside, the people too buried in their own lives to care. I listen to my co-workers go on and on about golf or some baseball player, and eventually one of them confesses that he didn’t even vote. Another cut his hair to look more like Obama’s.
Frankly, I’m not sure which is worse.
I’m sorry to be such a wet blanket. Maybe I’d feel better if the nation had been brutally and unprovokedly attacked by some sinister outside force, and was now in the process of using its military to crush the enemy on its own turf.
Oh, wait….
Cylar, the 4th is a time out from the current political angst. We’re celebrating the fabulous balls that created this wonderful country.
We’re a great place and I have faith that our greatness will continue, the people are good, most are sensible. We’ll be fine and Lord knows we have the guns to fight despotism.
Cylar, I understand your sentiment, but try to re-focus.
We’re celebrating everything we love about this country on her birthday. The ideals more than the real-estate, or the competing ideas that are eroding the original ideals.
Daphne …
You have painted a beautiful picture in my mind’s eye, and thank you for that!
;-)