Happy Birthday, America!
“God Bless America, my home, sweet home.”~Irving Berlin
I hope you are having a great 4th of July weekend of celebration. Fireworks will be exploding in the sky. My dog, Frankie, will be hiding in the basement. Kids everywhere will be going oohh and aahh. Well, except some of the very young ones who might be hiding their faces against their mom or dad and holding their ears. That was how my daughter was the first time she was at a fireworks show. She didn’t like all those booms at all.
“No other date on the calendar more potently symbolizes all that our nation stands for than the Fourth of July.” Mac Thornberry
I’m celebrating here by sharing some things about the 4th. First here’s an excerpt from a letter by one of the men right there at the beginning.
From a letter John Adams wrote to his wife Abigail, 1776 July 3rd, Philadelphia
The second day of July, 1776, will be the most memorable epoch in the history of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival…. with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward forevermore. You will think me transported with enthusiasm, but I am not. I am well aware of the toil and blood and treasure that it will cost us to maintain this Declaration and support and defend these States. Yet, through all the gloom, I can see the rays of ravishing light and glory.
I think he might be amazed at how right he turned out to be even though we celebrate a couple of days later than he thought, but we do know how to shout happy birthday with plenty of bright “illuminations,” parades, picnics and fun.
By signing the Declaration of Independence first on July 4, 1776, John Hancock’s name became famous. People still talk about putting their John Hancock on any kind of document. But you may not know that John Hancock was the only person to actually sign the Declaration of Independence on July 4th, 1776. The other signers did not sign it until August 2nd, 1776 or even later.
“I believe in America because we have great dreams, and because we have the opportunity to make those dreams come true.” ~Wendell L. Wilkie
And then we love those Americans who can make us smile like Erma Bombeck did for years. Here are her thoughts on the 4th.
You have to love a nation that celebrates its independence every July 4th, not with a parade of guns, tanks, and soldiers who file by the White House in a show of strength and muscle, but with family picnics where kids throw Frisbees, the potato salad gets iffy, and the flies die from happiness. You may think you have overeaten, but it is patriotism.
I love her line about the flies dying from happiness.
What a country! I’m blessed to be an American.
What do you like best or have the most fun doing on the 4th of July?
Comments 12
My town USED TO DO fireworks at the mall and all day the mall would have sales and special events. Now we have Kiafest (yes the car) THE WEEK BEFORE July 4th. (SMH ) There are fireworks then, but I have never attended. The buses don’t run on the fourth and I probably would not enjoy the heat and the noise. I love fireworks though. My neighbor took me with her to her son’s church, where they had a dinner and fireworks when it got dark. Convivial people, a bunch of children of all ages running loose, too much food, lots of cheering for the BOOMS!! It was great!!! I need to catch up with A Capitol Fourth, I love that show. Thanks for the History lesson!!!!
Author
Glad you found a perfect way to celebrate the 4th, Marjorie. Sounds as if your friend’s son’s church had a great time and that you did too. Don’t you love the oohs and aahs for a pretty burst of fireworks?
When I was growing up, I especially loved the 4th of July, because our family played together in our backyard from the late morning until late afternoon and then went to enjoy watching fireworks together while eating Kentucky Fried chicken on our station wagon tailgate!
Author
What wonderful memories, Lauren. Our families used to get together every 4th of July too and make homemade ice cream and then set off fireworks. But our kids all grew up and the family dynamics changed. So we don’t do that anymore. I miss it, but we have those lovely memories.
I enjoy the fireworks! All the bright and sparkly lights and the colors and time spent with family and friends. When our kids were little we had a perfect place to go to close to home. When older our son and I had a place we went to right across a small lake, sitting on the hood of our car to watch them. Things are quieter now but I still enjoy watching the fireworks. And remembering why we celebrate!
Author
It is good to remember why we celebrate, Shari. What fun that you had great places to enjoy the fireworks. The picture I used with the post was taken by my daughter-in-law a few years ago when they lived close to the park where the town set off fireworks. We could go sit in lawn chairs in her yard and enjoy the fireworks. They moved a few years ago and lost their great view, but got a really nice house.
The love of family being together to love our freedom. In our small village we have a golf cart parade, then picnics, swimming and music and at the end a fireworks display. God Bless America.
Author
I love the idea of those small town or village parades. My daughter’s neighborhood used to do something like that. She dressed her dachshund up in red, white, and blue one year and let him be in their parade. I have a picture of that somewhere. I should have found it for this post. I guess, the same as for many other things, Covid put a pause to that fun. At least there were parades again this year and then the sorrow of that gunman killing those people in that parade. So sad.
Happy 4th of July, Ann! I never realized that the Declaration wasn’t signed all at once. Thanks for the history lesson. We are having a warm sunny 4th here in PA with some possible severe storms called for tomorrow. Spending this day with our family and maybe a little time in the swimming pool. We have seen quite a few fireworks already which is good since our town is having them too late tonight for my husband and daughter who have an early start back to work tomorrow. Hope you have a blessed day!
Author
It’s been good weather for pools, Hope. I heard a bunch of booms much to Frankie’s distress but never saw the lights up in the sky. Guess I wasn’t interested enough to stay outside and watch for them. I did go out and look once, but it was just noisy. Not pretty.
I’m like you. I always imagined the Continental Congress meeting and everybody taking their turn signing the Declaration of Independence. But obviously, that wasn’t how it happened. At least not on the 4th. But doesn’t John Hancock have a fine signature. No wonder we picked his to say “sign my John Hancock.”
I love that our country as a whole displays red, white, and blue. Some wear the colors, and others choose to honor our nation by putting out flags. The news would have us believe our nation is divided, but if you drive down a country lane, you’ll see a different story.
Author
I like that thought, Debra. In the news, we hear all the worst, but when we are actually sharing time with our fellow citizens, it is a different story. Praise the Lord for the freedom we have to celebrate our country in different ways.