Happy Fourth of July, America turns 226 today.
Compared to some countries this isn't very old, but watching a 4th celebration brings to light just how much she has done in those 226 years. We started an entire country, fought with England, fought with each other, fought with Mexico, and wrote out principles so that all could be equal here, all welcome, all free.
I watched Macy's 4th of July Fireworks Spectacular tonight with my mom. I cried. Well we didn't watch all of the performers leading up to the fireworks, we only watched some. We did however, see all the fireworks. They had some very pretty gold waterfall ones, giant red, white, and blue spheres that shimmered, and they even managed to pull off three simultaneous USA's. As always the fireworks are set to musical recordings of a patriotic nature such as, "Stars and Stripes Forever," "Fanfare for the Common Man," "American Salute," "God Bless America," performed by Celine Dion (Canadian) and "The Star Spangled Banner." Something new this year though was an image over during the display where people quoted famous works from the founding of America most ending with, "We hold these truths". Some of these people included: Harrison Ford (Born in America to Irish/Russian/Jewish parents), Mike Myers (Canadian), Sigourney Weaver (American, and the only woman in the voice over), and Rudolph Giuliani (American) just to name a few.
I only mention Nationality because my husband was born in Ireland and then moved to Canada at a young age. Being with him as made me slightly more aware of influences from other countries in movies, television, music, and literature. I think most people today have forgotten that America was founded by immigrants. "Give us your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free," Emma Lazarus. This country came together when people from far and wide took a leap of faith and came to the "new world" hoping to find freedom, but I digress. Seeing an incorporation of all people in the celebration tonight made me smile, for that is America.
I leave you with Rob Lowe's closing statement from the ceremony, "Happy birthday to America, the land of the free, from New York, the home of the brave."
Compared to some countries this isn't very old, but watching a 4th celebration brings to light just how much she has done in those 226 years. We started an entire country, fought with England, fought with each other, fought with Mexico, and wrote out principles so that all could be equal here, all welcome, all free.
I watched Macy's 4th of July Fireworks Spectacular tonight with my mom. I cried. Well we didn't watch all of the performers leading up to the fireworks, we only watched some. We did however, see all the fireworks. They had some very pretty gold waterfall ones, giant red, white, and blue spheres that shimmered, and they even managed to pull off three simultaneous USA's. As always the fireworks are set to musical recordings of a patriotic nature such as, "Stars and Stripes Forever," "Fanfare for the Common Man," "American Salute," "God Bless America," performed by Celine Dion (Canadian) and "The Star Spangled Banner." Something new this year though was an image over during the display where people quoted famous works from the founding of America most ending with, "We hold these truths". Some of these people included: Harrison Ford (Born in America to Irish/Russian/Jewish parents), Mike Myers (Canadian), Sigourney Weaver (American, and the only woman in the voice over), and Rudolph Giuliani (American) just to name a few.
I only mention Nationality because my husband was born in Ireland and then moved to Canada at a young age. Being with him as made me slightly more aware of influences from other countries in movies, television, music, and literature. I think most people today have forgotten that America was founded by immigrants. "Give us your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free," Emma Lazarus. This country came together when people from far and wide took a leap of faith and came to the "new world" hoping to find freedom, but I digress. Seeing an incorporation of all people in the celebration tonight made me smile, for that is America.
I leave you with Rob Lowe's closing statement from the ceremony, "Happy birthday to America, the land of the free, from New York, the home of the brave."
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