Happy Independence Day. I am grateful to be living in the United States and thankful for all our freedoms. I am also grateful to all those who have paved the way in this. I hope we can continue to follow good judgment and protect those freedoms for our future generations.
With that, there are a few things you may want to know about this July 4th holiday.
For one. Our Liberty Bell, there in Philadelphia. Every year on July 4th, a few select descendants of the Declaration of Independence signers tap the Liberty Bell 13 times. To honor the original 13 colonies.
Besides the bell, the flag is another symbol of our freedom. But did you know? There have been 27 different versions of the U.S. flag. The original flag featured 13 stars and stripes to represent the 13 colonies. We still have 13 stripes on today’s flag.
And, many of us wave those flags when we go to a Fourth of July Parade in our little hometowns. But maybe, the go-to parade to visit would be in Bristol, Rhode Island. This annual Independence Day Parade dates all the way back to 1785 and is thought to be the longest-running 4th of July parade in our nation.
Some people were born on Independence Day. But we only have one U.S. president born on this date: America’s 30th president, Calvin Coolidge in 1872.
Conversely, three U.S. presidents have died on the Fourth. James Monroe, John Adams, and Thomas Jefferson all died on this patriotic day. (Adams and Jefferson passed in 1826, and Monroe passed five years later in 1831.)
Finally, we Americans have a thing for blowing up explosives to celebrate this whole deal. There are approximately 16,000 Independence Day fireworks displays that take place each year. Apparently, this custom dates back to 1777 (according to history.com.)
When we look at the costs, Americans spend over $1 billion on fireworks every year. But that’s not the only cost. Hospitals always receive a surplus of patients on July 4th due to fireworks-related injuries. In 2020, more than 15,600 people were hospitalized with injuries related to fireworks. Light ’em up, buddy.
So, celebrate the day as you must. But for me? A cheeseburger on the grill might be all the excitement I can handle.
But no matter.
I am thankful to be living in a free country.
And, uh, it’s a little late. But. Long live the Queen. Or should I say, King?
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“Life without liberty is like a body without spirit.”
— Kahlil Gibran
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“Is freedom anything else than the right to live as we wish? Nothing else
— Epictetus
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“For to be free is not merely to cast off one’s chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others.”
— Nelson Mandela
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We are independence. Free. At our best.
