Fourth of July......


It is hard to celebrate sometimes, when you are surrounded by drama. And it's easy for anyone to get cynical when you live in a country that seems to get worse and worse economically and politically every year.

And usually, I find myself to be one of those cynics. This year for some reason, I felt good.

Last week at work, as every one marveled at getting out early and spending an extra day celebrating the "Holidays", I couldn't help but have an instant gag reflex. Not that I don't enjoy having a day or twelve off from work, cause I do.

I just can't help but roll my eyes at people that run around with fake patriotism yelling "Happy Fourth of July", when to them I know that the founding of this country has less significance to them than reality TV. To them, its BBQ's and fireworks, which is great and all, but not really the point.

But as I thought more about it, I realized that the process of celebration itself is enough to give the whole point of Fourth of July meaning.

Freedom. Freedom to sit around in your underwear all day if you want to. Eat a nasty hot dog. Don't take a shower. Get drunk on cheap beer at 2 in the afternoon, or 2 at night on a Sunday cause you can sleep in Monday morning. Be lazy. Be social. Be whatever.

So on this seemingly ordinary Fourth of July I had an amazing time. And I didn't even have to go anywhere. Living in Chicago has its perks here and there, but it was only tonight when I found one of the coolest ones.

Starting at about 7:30 I could stand on my porch and watch fireworks. I didn't have to haul myself to a cluttered field of families, I could stand on my porch, in my pajamas, and watch fireworks.

In every direction there was light and sound. It was as if there were a million tiny thunderclaps going off every second, in every direction.

And it went on for hours.

At that moment, standing alone on my porch, previously feeling lonely for not going out with friends or family, I felt content because realized that I wasn't alone.

Sometimes in a city it is hard to realize how much life is around you. Even though you see people everywhere, it doesnt really hit you. But tonight, it did.

Everyone had slowed down their lives, just for a few hours, to celebrate. In a city of endless possiblity is seems impossible for everyone to be doing the exact same thing that at the exact same time. But they were.

In every direction people were sharing moments. Lots of them. Hours and hours of them. It was unlike anything I have ever seen and felt. I looked around from my porch and saw other people like me, marvelling at the show we didn't even have to leave home for.

And for once I felt utterly grateful to be celebrating Fourth of July, with thousands of people I dont' even know.