Independence Day

Yesterday, I was driving in the truck and a concert came on the radio with all the old Americana hymns – God Bless America, Stars and Stripes Forever, The Star Spangled Banner, My Country Tis of Thee… and, naturally, I had to sing them all (in full operatic voice, because that is the only way to to sing those songs) and I was amazed at how much I remembered and loved those songs. While I was growing up, July 4th was one of those days that we all really enjoyed. Dad was really into it — he would buy flags from the store and tape them to the side mirrors of his big dump truck, motorcycle, Jeep, or whatever he happened to be driving, in preparation for the day’s festivities. There would usually be a parade down in Hagaman (a little town of 1,000 down the road from where we lived). We’d all sit there on the street in front of the little row of storefronts near the waterfall, watch the parade and sing the Star Spangled Banner. Dad was a Marine and he had a great deal of American pride and respect for the country. All the radio stations would be playing Lee Greenwood’s Proud to Be an American and Born in the USA and we were fiercely proud to be Americans! (This was back when we were still enemies with the Soviets and Rocky 4 was cool because he beat the Russians.) Anyway, the day was full — working around the house, swimming in the crick, grilling out – either at the house or later, at the church. Oh yes, and shooting the guns. We always did some shooting on July 4.

But the highlight of the day for us was when we got to go see the fireworks. Ohhhh boy, it was so exciting for us. They would have the show at the Amsterdam High School (Amsterdam was going to “the city” to us). You basiucally drove you car in and parked and everyone just got out and put up their chairs and sat by their cars, honked horns to show appreciation and left when the show was done. The key was getting the front row near the big field. Well, usually we did not get there in time for that good of a space, so Dad decided to do something else. He decided to drive the dump truck. Festooned with flags and loaded up with chairs (and even a grille) this was the cat’s meow for sure. Not only was it the highest vehicle in the parking lot, but we got to sit on top of it! This was just awesome to us. For that night —sitting there under the black sky, watching the lights and sparkles, jumping when the deep thuds of the blasts punctuated the air, hearing the oohs and ahhhs, and reveling in the grand finalé — we felt like kings of the world up there…

John Adams wrote that this day would “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. It ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized 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 forever more.”