By: Jennifer Richardson Holt
This holiday has always intrigued me on multiple levels. I have always found it of utmost interest of how we choose to celebrate it, what it means and how it makes people feel. This year has proven no different. When a country celebrates its birth, I suppose there are bound to be some complexities. I can certainly speak to birthdays in general being a sordid bag of emotion depending on which member of the celebration of which one inquires. So as America celebrates her 245th year of existence, I was pondering all the pageantry filled with meaning and some of the festivities that seem somewhat less purposeful and now you the reader can take the journey with me through this occasion. Fasten your red, white, and blue seat belts.
One consideration that I daresay not a large portion of the population makes is how the day looks to the country from whence our independence was declared. I know, I know. You are probably thinking that I shouldn’t remotely care but you see, being the Anglophile I am, I do. Now mind you, I most assuredly am not losing a wink of sleep on the 3rd, 4th or even 5th wishing that I were a citizen of another nation. I am very pleased to be an American and I do in fact believe it to be the greatest country in the world despite what many would do their utmost to have you believe. But you see I also love the idea of a royal family. I love the idea of a monarchy. I am certain it is grounded somewhere in the childhood love of fairytales but be that as it may, those are my feelings. I love Her Majesty. No, I am not her subject but I do want her to know, for as much as my sentiment means to her that I think she is a wonderful ruler and a fine human being in general. Thankfully, I don’t think she takes our jubilance personally. I think she knows as much as we all do that her good ole 3rd great grandfather George III was quite the loon and we colonists had to do something about it. I think she understands and doesn’t hold it against us. I like to think anyway.
Now, beyond my concern for the crown, which I daresay may have possibly made some people stop reading this blog (though I say if you know me at all you could have at least slightly seen it coming) there are some aspects of the revelry of my fellow countrymen that are of note. That which is most strongly associated with this day would be fireworks. I like fireworks, I really do. As a lover of color and sparkle there are some varieties of pyrotechnics that I absolutely adore. I’m not super keen on loud booms however. I think that could be personal tastes in addition to my second X chromosome (I say that because most males I know value an explosion far more so than most females). I also have really had the reality hit me between the eyes recently to the fact that buying fireworks and detonating them is very literally burning money. I guess we can chalk it up to my age but the idea of forking out large sums to see it explode for a few brief seconds of sparks (boom or no) is just not worth it to me. I am of course all for observing such displays funded by others. This may mean I am cheap. I prefer to think of it as I like to share my patriotic spirit in a public, large scale, more affordable to everyone type of atmosphere. Yes. That’s it.
Really fireworks are a bit of a conundrum to me anyway. Are they used to celebrate our Independence Day as war-esque symbolism? Don’t worry I’m not about to go on some rant pro or anti war but it does make me wonder. If fireworks are meant to mimic the bombs of war (and I think that because I have seen many a sporting event that had such explosions accompanying the lines of the national anthem specifically referencing bombs) then am I moved by the symbolism of making such imagery a thing of happiness and beauty or am I somewhat disconcerted by war imagery as a celebratory process? There is the third option that I daresay may be more likely and that is that I am drastically overthinking the entire thing and I should just ooo and ahh at the lights and sound like a good patriot. Speaking of conundrums, who decided grilled meats and watermelon was the most appropriate meal to commemorate our freedom? I get it’s summertime and that may be the most seasonally appropriate food but is it authentically American? I don’t really think so, but still, it’s what we do and since I enjoy such dishes I am not complaining. Let’s just call it curiosity.
In reviewing all I have written here it seems like I don’t like this holiday. I assure you that it was not my intentions to present that idea upon writing this. I really do love this holiday. I love America. I love our freedoms. As I think about it, I suppose my relationship with my country is truly a familial one. She does things and makes decisions that often absolutely baffle me. Occasionally her behavior is disappointing or downright enraging but, I still love her. I still want what’s best for her and all those who call her home. So today if you watch (or shoot) a burst of colorful gunpowder, eat something with burned on stripes, if you love Her Majesty or she isn’t really your cup of tea (see what I did there) just be sure to consider your homeland. Love her. Be patient with her. Do you part to make her the best she can be and of course, when the opportunity arises, tell her Happy Birthday.
Prose and Possibilities 