Did you know that the celebration of America’s independence was actually intended to be celebrated on July 2nd? Me neither. According to the National Archives:

On July 2, 1776, the Continental Congress ended its debate and approved the resolution proposed on June 7 by Richard Henry Lee of Virginia and seconded by Adams:

Resolved: That these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent States, that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain is, and ought to be, totally dissolved.

 And in Adams’s mind, approval of the resolution (on the 2nd of July) was worth celebrating, year after year. He was so excited,  he wrote one of his many letters to his wife, Abigail, back home in Massachusetts:

The Second Day of July 1776, will be the most memorable Epocha, 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 Shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other from this Time forward forever more. (https://prologue.blogs.archives.gov/2014/07/02/john-adams-vision-of-july-4-was-july-2/#:~:text=It%20ought%20to%20be%20commemorated,this%20Time%20forward%20forever%20more)

John Adams was definitely right. We celebrate the heck out of this resolution, from the time that fireworks sales begin until long after.

My city is one that allows the shooting of fireworks on a limited basis between the hours of 12:00 P.M. and 11:00 P.M. on July 3 and 4  but sales begin on June 25 and end on July 5 which guarantees plenty of “guns, bells, bonfires and illuminations.”

I’m all for celebrating this holiday, the marking of halfway through summer vacation, but this year someone in my neighborhood thought the best way to do this was to explode the most obnoxious fireworks that shook the pictures on my walls. How is that fun?

The Great Hunter has never been much interested in fireworks. In years past, I would sit in the driveway with various neighbors while our kids set off their Roman Candles and fountains and skyrockets. One year an errant bottle rocket shot by one of the neighbor kids landed on a neighbor’s tool shed and caught the roof on fire. That neighbor definitely wasn’t celebrating.

Our city puts on a really nice fireworks display, but it’s been years since I’ve seen it.  The crowds and traffic keep us old people away, but if one of my kids said, “hey, mom, I’ll come get you and we’ll all go to the fireworks display, I certainly wouldn’t object.”

So this year at the height of the celebration when I could hear the explosions going off all around the neighborhood, I walked out to the end of our driveway hoping to see some of the displays. My street was quiet. Most of my neighbors have lived in their houses for over thirty years (I’ve been here 33 years) and the children are all grown and have moved away. The surrounding streets were booming though and I could just see the tips of the bursts just over the treetops.

I’m sure John Adams would be pleased we’re still commemorating the resolution loudly.

Happy 4th y’all!