I realize that the Fourth of July maybe one of the most exciting times of the year next to Christmas, Halloween, and your birthday. You see these massive tents go up for a week and hear things exploding all around. You see other children running in the middle of the street with sparklers or letting of black cats in mailboxes. You want to be apart of this excitement and fun.
I used to be in your place. It might not seem like it but I remember the excitement that you have. I remember waiting for that moment to light a smoke bomb and jump through the smoke. I remember waiting for the moment to dance around a strobe light.
I still get tears in my eyes as I watch the fireworks go off. If you put on some Ray Charles and America the Beautiful you will see my eyes really water because this country means just that much to me. If it weren’t for the United States of America, I wouldn’t be able to be writing you this letter as we speak. That is just how much the U.S.A means to me.
As you know, your dad is a HUGE baseball fan. There is nothing more American than watching a baseball game on the Fuorth of July and watching the fireworks after the game. The most memorable July 4th that I remember is the time I went with your Grandpa, Grandma, and Aunt to a Colorado Rockies game on the 4th and watched the game that I love and watching the fireworks after the game. I hope that someday I will be able to share this same experience with you.
There is nothing more satisfying than when you see the red, white, and blue of the American flag and say, “Merica!” To you, ‘Merica, is just the flag. You don’t fully understand that ‘Merica, is the country that you live in. You don’t realize that ‘Merica is one of the greatest countries in the world! ‘Merica, is much MUCH more than you realize. You will realize this and I hope that I can talk to you someday about just how great this country is.
There is a reason for all of this celebration though. It probably won’t mean anything to you now but you will understand why there is all this celebration when you are old enough.
We are celebrating our freedom, our independence, and the love for our country, more importantly we are celebrating our independence. We are celebrating the reason that you can get up in the morning and watch the Wild Kratts on TV before going to school. We are celebrating the freedom to be able to go out in the front yard and play with your friends without worry. We are celebrating being able to pick up a turtle on the side of the road to take home with us.
There are men and women who help keep this freedom alive for everyone who lives in the United States of America. Some of those who help keep that freedom for you have been part of your family. They proudly serve your country so that all American’s can spend this Fourth of July celebrating. Celebrating the freedom that they keep fighting for.
Kid, I want you to remember on the fourth. That is the real reason we are celebrating our freedom this holiday. Remember those who help keep our great country free.
So, go get a laundry basket, stand on it, and sing Born In the U.S.A. by Bruce Springsteen (true story your dad did that when he was your age ask your grandfather for video of it, it’s on VHS somewhere, oh who am I kidding you don’t know what a VHS tape is) and celebrate living in the greatest country in the world, the United States of America!