Yesterday was Wednesday, July 4th. Last
night was July 4th. Independence Day. Patriotic Pride.
Love of County. God bless the USA. Let the flag wave high.
We went to the fireworks tent on our way to church last night. I would have been quite content to not light money on fire. However, we made the decision several years ago to add a boy to our family. We now do a lot of things we used to not do.
We went to the fireworks tent on our way to church last night. I would have been quite content to not light money on fire. However, we made the decision several years ago to add a boy to our family. We now do a lot of things we used to not do.
Driving through town on the way home,
fireworks were popping and booming. Smoky haze was hanging low over
parking lots and buildings. Vehicles and gaggles of people meandering
everywhere. Drive-thrus backed up to the point getting a snack was a
chore.
Once we arrived home, Gage and Jason and I stood outside in the sweltering humidity with the night bugs. And lit firecrackers. Since Gage likes noise more than show, we had an arsenal of bottle rockets and Black Cats. Soon our front yard was cracking and popping and the white smoke swirled around us. The dog howled a time or two, and I heard the excited chatter of a pre-teen as he dug through a crinkly sack of assorted dollar bills aka fireworks.
Once we arrived home, Gage and Jason and I stood outside in the sweltering humidity with the night bugs. And lit firecrackers. Since Gage likes noise more than show, we had an arsenal of bottle rockets and Black Cats. Soon our front yard was cracking and popping and the white smoke swirled around us. The dog howled a time or two, and I heard the excited chatter of a pre-teen as he dug through a crinkly sack of assorted dollar bills aka fireworks.
The pops and whistles, bangs and haze
made me smile last night and will make me smile tomorrow night. From
our neighbors across the creek, I heard racket off and on all night,
and will for days to come. Sure, I could be irritated that they are
making noise...that we have to make double sure the dog's pen is
secure and then at random times we will be shook out of our shoes at
2am by a rambunctious who makes noise just because they can.
But, those pops and booms could be real
artillery and the slight irritation could be legitimate fear. The
whistles of bottle rockets could be the droning of war and the
screams of excitement could be my own...mixed with sheer panic as I
gather my family around me.
Because of a bloody price that has been paid, we are free to loudly celebrate...on the 4th, the 5th, the 10th and even the 31st. We can watch the stars and sit on front porches without fear. I can watch my son scurry around the yard with a flashlight and be glad he isn't hunting for a place to hide or worse yet, be carrying a man's load of war.
Because of the bloody price that has been paid, we are free to gather, eat watermelon, drink iced tea and enjoy our southern roots. We can be thankful. Ever so thankful. Ever so grateful. And some noise for the month of July is a very small price for me to pay.
Because of a bloody price that has been paid, we are free to loudly celebrate...on the 4th, the 5th, the 10th and even the 31st. We can watch the stars and sit on front porches without fear. I can watch my son scurry around the yard with a flashlight and be glad he isn't hunting for a place to hide or worse yet, be carrying a man's load of war.
Because of the bloody price that has been paid, we are free to gather, eat watermelon, drink iced tea and enjoy our southern roots. We can be thankful. Ever so thankful. Ever so grateful. And some noise for the month of July is a very small price for me to pay.
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