July Third

I’ve never seen a Fourth of July like this before. Don’t get me wrong. I’ve seen some pretty amazing firework shows in my day. Montreal holds an international firework competition each summer, all timed to music piped over a local radio station. That was something to behold. Cedar Rapids used to close down its three bridges for people to sit upon and watch the city’s spectacular over the river. Fort Ticonderoga was another amazing show. But those were all localized, central and in one place. Tonight, in this locale, with this landscape, the night’s sky is lit on fire with all the towns and locals setting off their own stockade of red, white and blue. The air reveberates with the booms, whistles and pops. There are no mountains to return the call across the land. The sound just rolls over and onward. The sky flashes blue, green, white all at once in all directions. Even if you can’t see the explosions themselves, the light and sound continues out from its source. North, south, east and west are all a light with colors and crackling with sound. The first sensory experience started about an hour ago, and has yet to show signs of slowing. I’ve never experienced a whole populace celebrating in this way. I feel so connected, proud to be an American with those all around me. I’ve never seen a Fourth of July like this before. And its only July third.