There are four school age boys romping on the slip n slide as I write. They are squealing and laughing and frolicking in a pure embodiment of summer glee. There are no electronic gadgets, no batteries, no gizmos. These boys, two of whom are mine and two whom I love as family, are plotting and planning to squirt each other in surprise attacks with the stockpile of buckets and water guns hidden behind the wood pile. We’ve just had a lunch of simple sandwiches, chips, and apple slices served upon unbreakable melamine plates. This after a morning of playing baseball on a real, extraordinarily dusty field.
It is a summer day.
And it happens to be my favorite holiday.
Independence Day.
And oddly enough, also the day Thomas Jefferson, author of the Declaration of Independence, died in 1826.
An in an even odder case of “quelle coincidence!”, John Adams, a Founding Father and our second president, also died on this day. In 1826. Crazy, right?
But history aside, I love the Fourth of July.
Yes, it’s a day to celebrate our freedom, our heritage, our history. We honor those who so wisely shaped this new country and so bravely fought for it. We celebrate those who continue to fiercely fight for our values and advocate for injustices and inequalities. Our freedom and independence grant us the right to speak out against a war we think is wrong or civic leaders we do not trust. Our independence, in a paradoxical twist, is both exalted and taken for granted.
My parents, naturalized citizens, don’t take this country for granted. And nor do I. I am a proud American, despite what my brown skin and over-voweled name might indicate. Bird and Deal are first generation Americans on my side of the family, and this doesn’t go unnoticed. They have liberties and opportunities that so very many people in this world will never see. We’re trying to teach them the significance of this virtue and the responsibility that comes with it.
But for now, we’re celebrating America’s independence with water fights and popsicles. There are four boys running amok in my backyard. They are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuits of Happiness. I love Independence Day, a day we make merriment with no gifts, fancy china, or the pressure of a juicy turkey to serve to waiting guests dressed in their holiday finery. Today we revel in all that our country lets us be free to enjoy. And for us, that means some casual chow, cold beer, and ice cream. Following some time running through the sprinkler and watching the hot dog eating contest, of course.
I love it! As a first generation American on my father’s side (not mom’s – but still) I am always thankful for the day that my dad and his sister and their parents sailed onto our shores. 🙂 Happy Fourth to you and yours!
In another strange coincidence, Charles Kuralt died on July 4 (1997) — seemed somehow fitting for him.