The Fourth Of July

As far back as I can remember this day has been a special one for me. Erma Bombeck summed it up well when she wrote, "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 remember one Fourth of July when we were on our way home from a picnic of one of my parent's friends. I thought I would miss the fireworks that year but my dad pulled the car off Meadowbrook Parkway and we watched it from the inside of out 57 Chevy.

Then there was a Fourth recently that took place at my parents. God hung a rainbow out there in the sky and nothing came close to the show that He put on for us that time.

The temperature was perfect for me today. I think it was right around 72. I remember an Independence Day when the mercury hit 100 on Long Island. I was 12. We headed out from Bellmore to Montauk Point, got as far as Lake Ronkonkoma and stopped there. Then we headed back home. My Nana was so surprised to see us as she and Poppa had come out from Queens to take care of the house and the dog. Those were the Wonder Years for me!

Times have changed. Yet we still celebrate the signing of that Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776 in Philadelphia.

Today we celebrated with family the joy of being an American.
God bless you
and
God bless the United States of America!