“May the sun in his course visit no land more free, more happy, more lovely, than this our own country!”
Happy July 4th!!
I do have an annual musing for today, but I thought I’d just give you my usual update first. It is raining. It is 74˚ and thundershowers are predicted for later. I’m hoping the weather changes in time for our uke concert tonight on the Hyannis Green. We’re playing from the Across America book then we’ll end with a few patriotic tunes in honor of the day. I’m going to wear my shirt with blue and red stars and one of my fascinators.
I just love birthdays and today is the grandest of them all.
On July 3rd 1776, John Adams wrote a letter to his wife Abigail. In it, he predicted the celebrations for American Independence Day, including the parties:
“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.”
John Adams expected July 2nd to be Independence Day as that was the day the Second Continental Congress voted for independence, but the signing ceremony for the Declaration of Independence didn’t happen until two days later so because July 4th appears on the Declaration, it became the date we celebrate Independence.
I know some people complain that the meaning of the day is lost in the barbecues and the fireworks, but they have forgotten John Adams’ hope. We are honoring the day exactly as he wished. Flags are waving everywhere. Families get together to celebrate and to break bread, albeit hot dog rolls. Fireworks illuminate the sky. Baseball is played on small town fields and in huge stadiums. Drums beat the cadence in parades. We sing rousing songs celebrating America and our freedom. We also sing heartfelt songs about what America means to us. We are many sorts of people, we Americans. We don’t all look the same, practice the same religion, eat the same foods or dress in the same way, but we all celebrate today.
“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.” Happy Birthday, America, from all of us Americans.
Explore posts in the same categories: Musings
July 4, 2023 at 1:14 pm
Hi Kat,
Happy Birthday to our country! Today is partly cloudy with a slight chance of pop up thunderstorms. The predicted high is only 95°.
Your quote from John Adams’ letter to his wife is one of those from the founding fathers which seem interesting today. I found the following article which is very interesting to those Republicans who like to quote our founding fathers:
https://theintercept.com/2023/07/04/founding-fathers-radical-quotes-july-4/?utm_source=pocket_reader
Thankfully, Trump’s plan for a military type parade on Independence Day never came to fruition. Instead of celebrating our military might as do autocratic regimes such as in Russia, we celebrate the great experiment of a democratic republic form of government with celebrations with baseball games, fireworks, and family gatherings.
Hopefully, what we leave our children will someday achieve Jefferson’s words in the Declaration of Independence that, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.“ That’s if the right wing majority on the Supreme Court or the MAGA nut jobs don’t kill it.
July 4, 2023 at 1:51 pm
Hi Bob,
We had sun for a while, but the clouds are back. I am getting ready hoping the rain will stay away for the afternoon. I am going to wear quite the patriotic clothes, including my Converse sneakers.
John Adams was right.
I wasn’t amazed at those quotes. These men were, after all, products of their time which makes the open rebellion even more extraordinary.
Trump is so enamored with Russia he envisioned a sort of May Day parade. I’m glad the army helped shut it down, and the cost was exorbitant, including damage to he roads. He pictures himself a supreme commander.
We need to be ever vigilant.
July 4, 2023 at 6:26 pm
Happy July 4th, dear Americans!
Good luck with the weather for your concert.
Boring weather here which is great because it means we got some rain and no heat.
July 4, 2023 at 8:51 pm
Thank you, Birgit!
About had way through my concert the rain started, slowly at first then it poured. The crowd, the small crowd, took refuge under the big tree while we moved back from the front of the stage. We cut a few songs and played our patriotic medley to end quite a wet concert, but we all decided it was fun!
July 4, 2023 at 7:44 pm
As someone that was not born in the USA (whoops sorry Bruce), I am reflective of the choice I made 43 years ago and what it meant to me to become an American.
The life of an immigrant is a little odd as you leave behind your social fabric and adopt a new country
So what happened to me ? I met Mrs MDH, had children and am blessed with three granddaughters. Michigan became my home, it offered me opportunities and I embraced the way of life.
Today, I recognize a country that welcomed me and helped me assimilate
Once a year I enjoy a short visit to London, buy stuff, go to Spurs and maybe seen a play or three. But after 3 days I am ready to get home
I chose to be an American, the country welcomed my citizenship and as they say USA USA
July 4, 2023 at 9:08 pm
My Dear Hedley,
I am proud of you, my fellow American. You forged an amazing life here while holding on to pieces of your origin. That’s admirable.
I am glad to call this home.