I Love a Parade

"May it be to the world, what I believe it will be ...
the signal of arousing men to burst the chains ...
and to assume the blessings and security of self-government.
[...] All eyes are opened, or opening, to the rights of man. ...
For ourselves, let the annual return of this day
forever refresh our recollections of these rights,
and an undiminished devotion to them."
Thomas Jefferson
(in a letter written on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence)


[I luv, luv, luv this picture]

Last year we were able to get Dad up and dressed before the neighborhood 4th of July parade came by the house. People came over and shook his hand. This year I decided to join them rather then fight the gnawing reminder that Dad isn't here. So Suzi and I dressed up in our best red, white and blue attire while my menfolk slept and walked around the block.


As parades go, this one was not the longest, most enthusiastic, or most organized. However it was dog friendly! There was some disgruntlement by past volunteers that the new president had neglected to start the parade with a prayer and Pledge of Allegiance. Mostly people were put out that the tables laden with cold, ripe watermelon were missing. Maybe the new guy on the block figured no one would want to eat watermelon at 9am.

[Don't you think it's cool when your hair matches your outfit?]

I guess in any group situation you're going to find something or someone to fuss about. What I noticed today was a) how many people dressed up, showed up, smiled, and greeted neighbors they probably only wave out when passing on the street. It felt for a brief moment the way a neighborhood is supposed to feel (in my opinion) - homey in an old fashioned way. I liked it. And I thought to myself I could be sad because we live in an age of stranger danger and text messaging so face to face contact is usually short and too the point. Or I could be the change I wanted to see. I may not go knocking on my neighbor's doors, but I am going to start being more aware and less isolated. It helps that I have a canine version of the welcome wagon to take on walks with me. Miss Q feels it is her obligation to say hello to everyone she meets, young or old, human or animal, friendly or grumpy. And really, it's kind of hard to stay grumpy when a dog sticks her nose in your hand and says "Hi, wanna be friends?" Jon Katz writes of the work of dogs. I'm pretty sure Suzi's work it to greet people. Maybe we could get a job at Walmart!

You know all our forefathers and mothers who stepped got on a boat and sailed away from England not really knowing what they were going to find or have to endure were pretty brave and full of faith. It's not a stretch to think that the blood of those pioneers runs through all of us who call America home. Like a lot of homes it could use some improvements but at the end of the day it is a place where we are free to be you and me (at least in theory!). Oh that it could be so the world over.

Today I'm grateful for purple mountains majesty, amber waves of grain, Pilgrims' pride, Liberty bells, hot dogs, apple pie, ice cold watermelon, cheaper (somewhat) gas prices, John Phillip Sousa, marching bands, patriots who put their life on the line for America - a place to call home, and dogs who, unlike kids, continue posing for a picture long after it's not fun anymore.


Wishing for you a sparkly day filled with down home good cheer,
Merry ME

Comments

Anonymous said…
You've got it girl! I don't care what you're writing about - I always get choked up (verklempt if you will.) That's one of my secret tests for good writing. :)
July 5, 2011 at 9:00 PM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Every Little Bit Helps

Image
UPDATE:  I'll be picking a winner on Thanksgiving Day. So make a donation and leave your name in the comment section below.  ME UPDATE:  I see a tiny problem but it should be easy to fix. Commenting anonymously doesn't get your name in the drawing. And there's no way to tell Anonymous A from Anonymous B. Are you different or the same? I need to be able to get back in touch with you somehow. We can exchange email addy's later. But please at least leave your name. If you still comment as Anonymous, just say your name in the comment.  You can use first name and last initial. Or last name alone. Or an Alias. Just so I can get your name in the hat. And really, thank you. Thank you again and again. Merry ME _____ I always breathe a sigh of relief when a storm veers away from Jacksonville.  At the same time it's hard not to feel guilty that it went somewhere else.  I was in no way prepared for Hurricane Sandy. Like a lot of others, I felt like the...
Read more

An Easter Miracle

Image
How is it that after someone you love dies, time moves on even when it feel like its standing still? Philosophers, poets and writers have tried to answer that question since time began. I don't have the answer. I just know that, by what I can only imagine is the Grace of God, it does. When you heart is broken into something resembling a 1000 piece jig saw puzzle and there are no directions on how to put it together, somehow it mends. When some else dies and it cracks again, God stitches the old wound and the new wound together into a patchwork of healed scars. Fifteen years ago, when I watched my mother draw a breath then counted the seconds before she took another but none came, I sat by her bed and tried to imagine being a motherless child. Then I did what any kid would do, ran down the long hospital corridor sounding the alarm. "My mother isn't breathing." "My mother isn't breathing."  Want to see doctors, nurses, CNAs, and cleaning ladies tur...
Read more

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY BLOG PARTY

Image
In honor of women everywhere ... Welcome to the International Women's Day Blog Party (Turn up the sound: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iuB3_HLcFfk ) International Women's Day is a global day celebrating the economic, political and social achievements of women past, present and future. To this end, this party is a way to honor those special ladies who have inspired us and made us better than we ever thought we could be. It is with gratitude and pride I welcome you to my blog. I'm anxious to hear your stories and celebrate your choices. All you have to do is go down to the bottom of this post and click on the comment section. That will take you to another page where you can write your tribute in the space provided. You can use your Google/Blogger user name or remain anonymous. There is nothing to join. If you choose to post anonymously please leave your name in the comment section so we'll all know who you are. When you're through hit publish and voila your lady is o...
Read more