Fourth of July Memories From The Past

I love the Fourth of July. For me it still brings back the memories of my childhood shooting off fireworks of all kinds. Oh the memories of bottle rockets, smoke bomb grenades and of course we can't forget the almighty yet deceptively powerful Lady Finger. That little powerful stick of mini-dynamite was used by me and my buds to blow up everything from our matchbox cars to little plastic cowboys and Indians.

I would undoubtedly awake on a morning like this full of excitement and anticipation. I would dress quickly and hop on my bike to meet up with one of my pals for a day of blowing stuff up out in the mesa near our house. Far away from the watchful and surely disapproving eyes of pesky parents. My friend Kevin had a super cool dad who happened to have a great connection at the fireworks stand. His dad would buy us an entire arsenal of fireworks firepower that today would get us surely picked up by Homeland Defense. We would come up with some of the most elaborate situations and things for which to rein terror over. It was a blast and it was a culmination of countless hours of planning, meticulously scenario development and conspicuous annihilation of anything that stood to be blown up.

Oh how I miss those days.

The Fourth of July for kids today is so different. Perhaps it's my old age and the fact that now I wear those disapproving eyes of a parent but I can't help but feel that somehow the fun of this holiday has been taken somewhat from the youth of today. Probably a good thing knowing my two boys. I can't imagine either of them playing with the high powered and potentially fatal fireworks that my friends and I once handled. The mere thought of either of my boys handling matches, let alone something that could blow up gets my legs a wee bit wobbly to be honest.

So as I sip my coffee this morning I will simply regale the boys with the exploits and adventures of a misspent youth; perhaps leaving out some of the sexier details that could get two boys' imagination riled up. And somewhere deep down inside I will feel that pang of yesteryear and smile to myself knowing how special this day was for me and how special, albeit different, I need to make it for those that I love now.

But hey Kevin...if you happen to read my BLOG and your dad still has a connection at the fireworks stand, I know a place we could blow some stuff up. I'm just saying....

Here's hoping you and yours have a very safe and Happy Fourth of July!!!

Ripple On!!!