Holidays seem to have become less about the celebration and more about the preparation. For weeks before these big days, our parents and grandparents slave away to prepare the big feast or relentlessly try to clean the kitchen that never seems to be clean enough. I find it so funny that so much stress goes into holidays that are meant to be celebrations of family and good tidings. But there is one holiday in the year that never seems to be stressful. Tensions never seem to rise in the family household. A day of celebration for the country that made us who we are today, a celebration for the colors we are proud to wear and a celebration for the three letters we love to chant: The Fourth of July.
The Fourth of July is a culmination of everything that makes us the Unites States of America. In my head, whenever I picture this special day, I see children with watermelon dripping down their faces, running through the yard with sparklers in hand. Families and friends glued to the grill waiting for the self-proclaimed grill master to finish their burger and hot dogs. Children are decked out in their best red white and blue garb. Blankets are strewn all around the park full of unknown people that are all there for the same purpose, to watch the never disappointing fireworks while "Born in the U.S.A." sung by our boy Bruce Springsteen plays in the background. Pure summertime happiness.
When I think back on my childhood, some of my fondest memories come from the Fourth of July. What makes the Fourth of July so great is that there is no pressure. No pressure to cook a huge meal, no pressure to buy everyone the best presents, no pressure to clean your house to the point where it looks like no one lives in the house. This day is as relaxed as it gets, consisting of a day on the beach or a casual family barbecue. The point of the Fourth of July is to get together with friends and family to celebrate the great country we live in and to celebrate each other. The Fourth of July is a day where we can step outside to our sunny backyards and smell the fresh cut grass and be proud to live in our country.
This day is a celebration for all. You do not have to be Catholic or Jewish or Irish to enjoy this day. There is a reason we all live in this country, and now we have the chance to show it. It is a chance to let our freedom flags fly in all their glory. Pride is a very strong emotion; it fills your gut with warmth and brings a smile to your face and tears to your eyes. On this day, we get to share our pride in the form of clothing, food, chants and fireworks. The whole country is celebrating the same thing; there is power and unity in this notion. It is a day where we can be "Proud to be an American" and get to "Party in the U.S.A." All in all, "God Bless the U.S.A."
