Happy 5th of July - An essay

[oldkicker]

I love a good party. The better the occasion, the better I feel about the party. I think I enjoy the more private occasions more than anything. Birthdays, anniversaries, graduations and other milestone always bring a smile to my heart.

National occasions, such as our celebration of the 4th of July hold a place in my heart too.

Most of us yesterday fired up the barbeque grills, maybe shared a meal with friends and family. Maybe we played some games together, or just sat around the table a caught up with each other again. Maybe we enjoyed a parade or some other ceremony marking the birth of this great nation.

At night, most of us watched our communities' celebration of the 4th as fireworks lit up the sky and marked the day in joyful illumination and stunning beauty.

I hope that we all had a moment yesterday to reflect on what the founding fathers have wrought in declaring that democracy would reign in this great land. We all share in the joys, the freedoms and the responsibilities that this declaration carries.

The greatest thing about this country of ours, I propose, is the 5th of July.

We wake up again on this ordinary day and move forward again. The high point of reflection on the 4th settles in to the regular day to day implementation and ordinary existence of this democracy.

Today, we'll clean up the remains of yesterday's parties and get-togethers. Visitors might begin to travel back to their homes. We might look forward to eating yesterday's leftovers.

We'll get on with our lives and find our own ways, each of is, in the incredible mix of opportunities, geography, challenges, faiths, lifestyles and peoples that this country is.

I have a feeling that that declaration of independence, while celebrated with rightful gusto each 4th of July, was really meant to be honored by the life we all live on the 5th of July.

Happy 5th of July everyone.

Enjoy.

 

[amid chaos]

VERY nice bernie...thanks for the thoughts.

But ya kinda make me feel bad that I didn't go to a party!

 

[gina2000]

So very true, Bernie. I'm sitting here, getting ready to go to yet ANOTHER swim meet and I know how lucky I am. How lucky my family is and how thankful I am to be living in the USofA. I've been in alot of countries.....but there's no place like home.

Thanks for reminding us!


And....Good Morning!

 

[helenabear]

Very nice and very true thought there, Bernie. I have begun to learn recently how lucky I am to have all that I do... and living in this country is one of them I am lucky for. Thanks for these excellent thoughts.

 

[Dan Murphy]

Thanks for that perspective and reflective viewpoint, OK.

 

[Kitty 34]

Very nice, Bernie. Thanks, I needed that!!

 

[Breezy_Carol]

Bro, Happy Fifth of July to you.

Very nice sentiments.

 

[MerryPoppins]

Happy 5th to you, Bernie. I enjoyed reading your thoughts.

 

[Towncrier]

Very well put Bernie. Happy 5th of July to you and all the other DISers.

 

[Zurg]

Happy 5th friends.

(no wait that doesn't sound right coming from me
sounds like a toast with a bottle of wiskey in one hand)

I like the next day we go back to normal life idea (better when it is a saturday I admit).

It is how we live the normal days that is the real issue isn't it.


There is some history here too:

The actual vote for declaring independance was on July 2. This is the day John Adam's expected we would celebrate as independance day. There was much excitement on that day in 1776 in the ciontenental congress.

The 4th was when the continetal congress approved the final draft of the document. Apparently there was little fanfare that day and it was one of a number of peices of business. It was only signed then by the president of the congress on the 4th (and maybe the secretary of congress).

So even then it was back to normal matters in someway.

 

[DonnaW]

Bernie, that was so nice! Thanks for such great thoughts for today!

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

<font color=navy>What a nice post, Bernie.

Happy 5th!