Except for the few years the town of Damariscotta had a raft race on the river, the 4th has been pretty uneventful. We had barbeques at the neighbors house during my childhood, all old people, no fun and games. We always went to the fireworks. Love fireworks, but it seemed like such a long, boring day to wait around to watch them and then realizing bedtime follows after the climax of the day. July fourth barbeques have proven to be boring for me -where are all the fun activities, the boating, swimming, and the decorating?.
Our town doesn't have a 4th of July parade but other nearby towns do. In my twenties I attended the Round Pond Village parades with groups of drunk people, trying to fit in and pretend I was having fun. In my thirties it has been with the kids and family, walking a zillion miles from the parked car to sit in the hot sun with a bunch of people I hardly know, wishing I was home as my kids cling to me and don't understand the humor in the floats. I envy all the villagers that hangout and have a fun day with their neighbors and friends.
Every year I think "whoopty do" the 4th is coming - and I want to be excited, I really do. I want to hang with friends, make fun fourth of July crafts, decorate in red, white and blue, drink too much, listen to music and laugh. I want it to be a perfect summer day. Instead of realizing I have the power to change this lonesome tradition of dreading the 4th of July and all the nothing it brings with it - I just continue to loathe it and hope to get through the day. One of these years I will make a plan and create a new family tradition of something really fun and festive. Until then I will at least serve strawberry shortcake and spark up some morning glories while waiting for the fireworks.
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