Happy Fourth of July!
I guess it’s a bit of tradition that July 4th involves
firework displays. It unifies us as a country taking the time to say Happy
Birthday America! The weekend after the fourth is always our yearly family
picnic. Normally our family arrival or invasion is on or around the fourth!
Like many, we celebrate our nation’s birthday on the fourth, with family and
fireworks. (3 F’s, totally not planned)
We’ll start with the fireworks.
I was never a major fan of fireworks, the loud noises, the bugs,
the sitting on the ground…etc. They just were never high on my list for things
to do for excitement.
My uncle used to do this mini firework display for me on my
birthday. It was neat but more of a firecracker display since it was in broad
day light and the fact that setting off fireworks in New York was/is
illegal. Those fireworks I enjoyed. A
bit like the kick off to summer.
Sparklers were always fun, especially one year where we got these 3
foot long ones. It was fun when our out of state cousins smuggled some over the
boarder! It was fun to light the smoke bombs, the Chinese lanterns and other
bright light exploding items.
Though the big firework shows? Not really my cup of tea.
I don’t think I was never the child that freaked with the loud noises
of fireworks, but I know I was never a major fan of huge firework displays. My
dad made them fun by tickling us when those curly, spiral ones went off. He
thought they sounded like bugs and he would be the buzzing bug “biting” us. Though
my firework memory or legacy is being reminded at every firework display of a
particular fourth of July firework display I attended when I was little.
I’m a very stubborn person. I can dig my heels in deep. Well, when
I was 7 or 8 I was dragged to fireworks and needless to say, I was not happy
and did not want to be there. How did I show my family my displeasure? After
every firework, I said garbage. I sat there with my hands holding my head up, a
sourpuss expression and muttered garbage after every.single.firework. When
someone say ooo or ahhh, I replied garbage. “Erin what do you think of that
one?”… garbage. “wow that was a big one; don’t you think it lit up the sky
Erin?”…. Garbage. “It’s the finale! Look Erin”.... garbage. Yes, I was real
pleasure to be with that night!
The best part? I get reminded of that stupid story every time I am
with my family at a fireworks show. So, in accordance with disliking my
birthday, I am not the biggest fan of our nation’s birthday because of that
story. (silly, I know) In years past it really bugged me when everyone thought
it was funny to mimic me or remind me of my lovely performance of a past
fireworks show. I got really annoyed. Now I think it’s funny, and a great
example of my personality! Though I am able to laugh at this story, I am still not
a huge fan of fireworks and unlike my birthday occur more than once a year. But
I’m growing; I am no longer 100% against my birthday or 100% against firework
displays. That’s Progress People!
Though it is nice to say Happy Birthday America, see how America
has progressed over the past year, and see how America has and has not learned
from previous years! I guess everyone has beef with some aspect of their
birthday, even our nation!
Happy Fourth of July!
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