David and I have always enjoyed watching fireworks display on July 4th in celebration of Independence day. Most years, we found a good location to watch while managing to avoid the crowds and mass exodus after the show.

The need to avoid the crowd was even more important after we had children. With the girls, it was also challenging to watch the firework considering that it is done quite late in the evening. For our first July 4th as parents, we took our daughter to a park that had many activities and music all day but left before the fireworks display in order to avoid the crowds.

The next year, we were keen to see the fireworks, so after dinner, we put my daughter in her pajamas, parked in a hilly area with a good vantage point for the fireworks and yet far away from the crowds. The last few years, we have been fortunate enough to see fireworks within the vicinity of our home.

One of my best memories of fireworks with David actually did not involve real fireworks. We were driving late in the evening and it started to snow. It was my first time driving at night in the snow. As the snow came down on the windshield and with the dark road in the background, I said to David with excitement, “it looks like fireworks”. David got such a kick about my comment and said he loved how I see some things with the innocence of a child.

Fireworks bring many great memories with David. It brought out the child in me and David enjoyed watching my excitement.  The July 4th fireworks was the one we saw routinely and this one is always special since it brought a strong sense of pride and patriotism.

Tonight, I hope we are lucky to see the firework display within the vicinity of our home so that I can enjoy the excitement with my daughters.

Happy Independence Day, USA!!!