Celebrating 249 years with patriotism and light
A COLUMN By Kathryn Ross
The night sky lights up with a sparkling color, and you feel the booming deep in your chest when the fireworks explode. It’s the 4th of July and the country is celebrating its 249th birthday celebration. The big one is next year, and Wellsville has yet to form a 250th Anniversary committee.
In 1776 John Adams, who would become this Nation’s second president, wrote to his wife Abigale after signing the Declaration of Independence, that “the 4th of July should be celebrated with pomp and parade and with games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires and illuminations from one end of the continent to the other.” Yeah, over 200 years later, it pretty much is. America once again declares its independence.
I know there are those that advocate for silent fireworks to spare frightening the dogs and agonizing veterans. I’m not one of them. Although I love dogs and honor veterans, I think it is an attitude that is “much ado about nothing.” What do we do about thunder? We can’t stop it, and sometimes it goes on for hours. Fireworks displays are a lot shorter. I suggest leaving the dog at home and comforting the vet.
I remember a time, and I must have been very young, when I watched with my older sister from our bedroom window, the fireworks in the sky over Tullar Field. I also remember going down to the ball field and watching the fireworks overhead and the displays on the ground. I don’t know when it stopped, but I wish Wellsville still had a public celebration for Independence Day.
Sparklers used to be my favorite. Writing my name in the sizzling lights to be seen for just seconds before fading was fun. I was never much for firecrackers, after all you could blow off a finger or a toe, so I was always worn.
There were many ways to celebrate the Fourth when I was a kid. It was a time for the first watermelon slices of the summer and strawberry shortcake covered with real whipped cream. It was time to fly Old Glory and to sing “You’re a grand old flag and ask “Oh say, can you see?”
I’m a sucker for the National Anthem. My arms always prickle with goosebumps and my eyes fill with tears as it plays and I think of all the men and women who gave part of or all of their lives under that flag. I’ve never been embarrassed by my reactions. To me, it’s patriotism.
At the recent Memorial Day parade, I saw a young girl wrapped in an American flag like she was some kind of athlete on an Olympic podium, but she was seated on the curb with the edges of Old Glory dragging in the dirt. “Doesn’t she know, I wondered, that the flag touching the ground is a big no no?” I saw her parent standing behind her, at least I assumed (and you know how that can go) that it was her parent. So, as I walked by. I mentioned. “You know the flag isn’t supposed to touch the ground.” He testily replied, “I know.” I wondered then, “if you know, why don’t you teach it to your kid? Probably it’s just another one of those things like washing your hands after you go to the bathroom and chewing with your mouth closed that schools are supposed to teach children.
I recall a summer day, or maybe it was a spring day, how proud I was when my father and I raised a12 foot tall flagpole in the front yard. It was before flags hung from metal posts on every porch rain or shine. It was a wooden pole and I’m assuming the flag we raised only had 48 stars on it. Yeah, it was awhile ago.
Like most other Americans my age, I grew up saying the Pledge of Allegiance in school. There’s a t-shirt I want to get that is emblazoned with, ‘I didn’t grow up saying with liberty and justice for all, every day to settle for anything less now.’
Since Roe vs Wade was overturned, I’ve only said, “I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands,” and stopped there. Because I pledged to myself that I won’t say the entire statement until it’s entirely true.
On this 4th of July, I’ll cherish our independence, and I’ll honor this Nation’s birthday, but maybe I’ll be wearing a new patriotic shirt, certainly not an American flag.
Kathryn Ross is a lifelong Wellsville writer and journalist. You can reach her anytime at kathr_2002@yahoo.com
