God Bless America!

The 4th of July is actually one of my most favorite holidays to celebrate in Chicago. Having grown up in Sioux City, Iowa where fireworks are uber forbidden - so forbidden that the CITY of Sioux City didn't even have a fireworks display, all the forlorn Sioux Cityans would have to gather by the Mighty Missouri and watch the festivities in Nebraska and South Dakota... it was very sad - it was quite a change coming to Chicago where fireworks are almost a nightly occurrence once the weather gets nice (or at least I tell myself that all the loud popping noises are fireworks... ssshh!! don't burst my bubble!!).

There isn't anything quite like 4th of July in the city.... in a small town you get the city fireworks display, you might have a few Morning Glories, bottle rockets, and sparklers for the family barbeque... but it's nothing spectacular. In the big city though - it's truly an extravaganza.

Our first year in Chicago, we weren't quite brave enough to venture downtown for the big display.... so we had resigned ourselves to sitting dejectedly in our un-air conditioned apartment watching Vanessa Williams sing patriotic favorites with the Boston Pops (Lame)... but as we looked out the windows, we were amazed that we could see fireworks going off for 360 degrees around.... close, far, and everywhere in between. The entire city was alight with fireworks. At that time, we didn't have a balcony or any outdoor space at all.... so we ran excitedly from window to window, hooting and hollering for the other one to join us when we saw a particularly good one... it was incredible.

While I know that most people look at the 4th of July as a time for barbeques, beer drinking, parties, and the reawakening of one's pyromaniacal tendencies.... I see it quite differently. Being a student of history, I have thought on many an Independence Day eve of the sacrifices of those first Americans.... and of many other Americans through the years who have fought and died to keep us safe and free. I've thought of the men who sat in a stuffy hall drafting and signing the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, forming the backbone of our American way of life. I like to think that when other people shoot off fireworks and celebrate the day that they are acknowledging these events too.... although, I'm sure most of them just like drinking and playing with fire...

Tonight I went out on my new balcony and watched the Pre-4th fireworks.... they're still going on as I write this now. I wonder if this is what it looks like in cities all across America right now.... if someone was watching from space, would they see a sparkling country celebrating its freedom and independence? I'd like to think so. :)