Independence Thinking

As adults, we don't outgrow the observance of Independence Day and its historical significance, but sometimes we outgrow the need to celebrate. I have made the independent decision not to. This year anyway.

While I love fireworks, the urgency of having to see them seems to have left me. Maybe just for the moment.

Part of the reason is that the show in Rapids is awesome but if you want to sit on the riverbank to watch them, you need to stake your territory at the break of dawn on July 4th. Not kidding. All grassy areas along the river are "reserved" with blankets and tarps with all grass covered by noon. That's not fun for me. Then, the crowd is so huge you either have to park a mile away (literally, not just figuratively) or park close and be stuck in traffic afterward (not fun if you have to work early the next day).

The other part of the reason is that I don't have a young child to take anymore. The photo above is one of my favorites. If you look closely you can see the silhouettes of Jim (in the left chair) and me on the right holding Carter in my lap while watching fireworks from the rooftop of the newspaper office downtown. I think it was about 2000 or 2001 when Carter was 2 or 3.

Fast forward 15 years and he is downtown watching them with friends ... and hopefully steering clear of trouble. And we grownups are listening to the fireworks from the comfort of our living room after enjoying a nice neighborhood potluck and camp fire.

I'll admit it was nice to have the day off so I could catch up on a few things. Did not make a ton of progress, though, so I am glad I took tomorrow off, too, as a "kick some butt and be productive at home" day. We'll see if that holds true or I get distracted observing (not celebrating) International Chicken Wing Day or World UFO Day.

Can't imagine outgrowing ALL the good stuff!