The Journey - Celebrations

Celebrations are part of our journey together. They can be symbolic of something great or  meaningful or simply a fun activity. I like all kinds.

With the Fourth of July celebrations winding down I've been thinking about the family gatherings and special activities taking place across our nation. Summer get-togethers are especially fun because we usually do something outdoors - picnics, swimming, boating or playing games. And summertime foods are especially delicious.

For my family, the Fourth is usually kind of low key, although some years we've taken part in community celebrations, working alongside friends and family to reach out and celebrate our country's birthday with crowds of people. And I especially love Fourth of July parades. Most often, though, with us it's just family. We kind of hang out around home and enjoy one another's company. The younger folks play games while us "old" folks laugh and cheer them on. And there is always something interesting to talk about, especially when my brother Bruce is here (like this year). He's always full of Alaskan tales.

We have good food, with watermelon being a must have. Fireworks of some kind always top off the day. I love laying under a dark sky and watching a huge display of colors and sounds, but this year we decided to purchase our own and wait until the sun set to enjoy a  more conservative display right in our own front yard while the kids cheered and clapped. The littlest in our clan, Kadin, thought they were pretty cool. Next year he'll probably get to run around the yard with his own sparklers. This year he just watched wide eyed and smiling.

I have some warm and wonderful memories of past Fourths, spent with friends and family. One time, I was sick and my father wrapped me up in a blanket and carried me to a get together at our neighbors so I wouldn't miss out. I think it was one of my favorite Fourths ever because my dad made me feel special and loved by making sure I could be there. And then there was the time when me and my family attended a special fireworks display in our community. One of the fireworks fell back into the launching pad and set off all the fireworks at the same time. Everyone was diving behind cars to keep from getting hit by a flying fireball. I was little and don't remember, but I can imagine what it was like.

Do you have special Fourth of July memories? What did you do this year?

I  hope you all had a great time and didn't forget how blessed we are to live in the USA.