Last year at this time was quite different. We didn't have to worry all that much about things like terrorism, Osama bin Laden and Al Quaeda, or buildings burning and then falling after planes had intentionally run into them....
Last year, America was the Land of the Free, The Land of Opportunity, and the Land of The Statue of Liberty. And--we were safe from harm.
Last year, for the Fourth of July, we did as we always did during Independence Days of past: we went to the annual Fourth of July Parade and our city's annual "Fourth of July BLAST!" Festival and Freedom Celebration. We would get to the Centennial Park area around 10, and we would set up our grills and our picnic area; and we would then quickly find a good spot in order to get the best view of the parade that was to commence about 2 p.m. that afternoon. We would then listen to the live musical entertainment that would follow the parade at the bandshell.Besides the fireworks, parade, and musical entertainment, there were also contests and games of softball and baseball, and there were also craft and art items to be bought; and tributes to the area's veterans who had fought in previous wars and much, much more. The day was just packed with activities for each and every member of the family.
Different musical acts were featured, as were different styles: country/western, Cajun (my sister, Ronee', was the one doing the Cajun music), jazz, bluegrass, rock, rap, even classical and patriotic, which would end the day--and prepare the festival goers with the anticipation of the forthcoming fireworks display later that evening.
From all reports, the fireworks display would be a humdinger. They were estimating that it would probably last at least 35 minutes to as long as an hour.
We got to the park around ten, and we ate around 12; we then got to where the parade was going to be. We were right up front, so the kids in wheelchairs or the smaller kids could have an unobstructed view of all the floats, marching bands, and other parade traditions going by. We were full of hot dogs, potato chips, sodas, and ice cream, and we were ready for the parade to begin.
After the parade, we then made our way back to the music bandshell, where we would listen to the music. Ronee' was after the first band; she left to get ready for her performance. She didn't eat that much because she didn't want to make herself sick.
After Ronee' had performed and entertained the crowd with her Cajun-style brand of music, she rejoined us, and promptly fell asleep. She was tired. She slept for a good part of the remainder of the afternoon; she didn't awaken until at least 7:30.
We continued to play and eat throughout the evening, and we enjoyed the different forms of music (although Johnny said that the rap music hurt his ears). We then got back to our vans, and we got a change of clothes and got some more in the way of sunblock and needed medications for those children who took medication for various ailments; and we went back to the music
bandshell and just relaxed and watched the growing crowd of people. (Most had come to see the fireworks.) It was also during this time when mommy put mosquito repellent on us so we wouldn't get eaten up by "maringuoins" (mommy's word for mosquito; it's Cajun French). By 8:45, there was hardly any room for any remaining people to sit; the ground was a sea of eager-faced, happy, sunburnt people who were excitedly awaiting the fireworks display and the classical music that would proceed the fireworks...
At 9:30, on the dot, "WHOOSH", then a loud, ear-shattering, ground-shaking "BOOOOM!!" split the air. The fireworks display was now underway, much to the delight of the throng of people. I covered my ears, as did many of my smaller and younger brothers and sisters; the noise was too loud for their sensitive ears (although Mario, who is deaf, didn't mind; he rather enjoyed the vibrations from the fireworks when they exploded). Johnny cried because the noise from the fireworks caused his hearing-aids to squeal really loudly, and the noise hurt his ears. Ronee' loved the fireworks and the noise, but she didn't like the aerial bombs; they caused her to jump, and by now, her joints were beginning to stiffen and hurt. The sensation of jumping only seemed to aggravate them. Jodie also cried because the noise caused her great discomfort, and she also downloaded in her diapers; she was beginning to stink quite badly. (Three guesses as to who was sitting next to her when she went in her diapers--ME.) The noise from the fireworks literally scared the poop out of my little sister!!
It was a perfect ending to a perfect Independence Day. It was a day full of fun and excitement; and we also enjoyed the comraderie of family and good friends. We also had another reason to celebrate: our good friend, M'buti, was now an official American citizen; she had become "naturalized" earlier in the day. She was originally from Kenya, Africa, and now, she was American. She was now no longer an "illegal" (or even "legal")alien with a temporary green card. She was now a citizen of the United States.
And a prouder American citizen was not to be found; M'buti was just BUSTING with pride at her new citizenship, and she was so exicited she couldn't hardly stop bouncing in her wheelchair!! She was really a happy camper that day, let me tell you!! And when the fireworks went off, boy, was she ever EXCITED!! She was just like a little girl, laughing joyously and pointing to the sky each time a firework went up and then burst across the starry night sky. It was cute to watch her.
The memory of last year is forever etched in my mind because I want to remember America as she WAS, not like now, where we no longer feel so secure or so safe, thanks to those terrorists who changed all of our lives forever in a terrible way; and because of it we are in a war we did not choose to be in. I want to remember America as she was, but I also know we have to carry on and go on with our lives; and continue to celebrate our freedom and pray and give our thanks to God that we ARE free and that we ARE Americans, and that our Nation REMAINS STRONGER THAN EVER, even in the face of unspeakable evil and hatred.
THAT is what makes America AMERICA: Our strength and resolve, and NOT to bow down to cowardly people who only want to hurt us and make us bow down to their terroristic ways.
Well, I have news for them: We WON'T--and we NEVER WILL.
WE WILL EMERGE FROM THIS FIGHT WITH OUR HEADS HELD HIGH, STRONGER AND MORE MIGHTIER THAN EVER!!!!
Christmas - only days away; plastic snowmen and glowing reindeer adorn the lawns of neighborhoods all across America. All is calm, all is bright, and yet there is something tragically wrong about this Christmas night.
With swift passage thr
