How Did You Celebrate Independence Day?
I’m sharing an article I wrote and posted on Medium this week. I hope you enjoy it. It does have a call to action, although it is not poetry. I did not write a Poetry Friday post this week.
July 4th is a holiday in the United States that celebrates hard-won independence from Great Britain. It is a day to remember the sacrifices made by many who have gone before us to preserve our freedoms.
Although it’s not mired in religion or tradition, it has become a celebration for our family when we strive to be together. This year was no different.
All of our boys and our youngest’s fiancé made the trip to our cabin in the Wisconsin Northwoods for the Fourth. We lucked out with the weather and escaped more of recent bouts of rain, which we’ve been receiving regularly.
Instead, we had sunny skies and temperatures in the 80s. We sat on our dock. Some swam, some kayaked, and some had a drink and chatted. It was relaxed and fun. The dogs played at the shoreline.
We had our neighbors join us for dinner. We had a family favorite called Carolina Blonde Barbeque, which is shredded chicken in a vinegar-based barbeque sauce. I made baked beans which have raisins and apples in them, and we also had a fresh berry salad made of blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, and strawberries — a festive medley of blues and reds. Our neighbors brought a pasta salad, which rounded out the meal along with corn on the cob that we provided.
For dessert, we had homemade chocolate chip cookies with vanilla ice cream, chocolate sauce, and whipped cream. It was all delicious.
By 8 pm, we settled in to watch the annual PBS show, A Capitol Fourth, which was terrible this year. I missed Gary Sinise as the host, and the musical performers were not all that hot either. My favorite part was the playing of the 1812 Overture by the National Philharmonic Orchestra, but even that seemed a little off for some reason. I think it was abbreviated, and the cadence, in parts, was faster than its usual fast pace.
I know the music well, for I played it as a first-chair, first-flute as a freshman in high school. It’s remained a favorite since that time.
I don’t have many regrets in life, but I do regret not attending the Capitol Fourth Concert in person when we lived in Baltimore, Maryland, for three years from 1989 until 1992. We always talked ourselves out of going because we disliked crowds and feared not being able to find parking. Those were ridiculous excuses, I realize now. Sometimes, an unusual experience is worth the risk or putting up with hordes of people.
In any case, I hope you found a way to celebrate the birth of our nation. We all need to be grateful for the liberties we’ve enjoyed since 1776, and learn to work together for a prosperous future. Cross the aisle, step out of your box, listen to someone whose opinion differs from yours, and be kind to everyone. The arguing, blaming, and lack of tolerance for those who are “different” must end. We are, in fact, one nation — let’s act like it.
Previously published on Medium.com by Carol Labuzzetta, 2025.
The Apples in My Orchard 