Independence Day is seeing my father's old military uniform, reading love letters he wrote to my mother while he was serving. It's the pictures from my Great Grandpa serving in the Calvary and my Grandpa's stories from Korea. Viewing the biggest American flag my eyes have ever seen covering the football field at Lucas Oil Stadium, where everyone was bursting with pride and singing along to the national anthem. Accessing the internet and being able to visit any website we please. Everyone coming together on 9/11 and every year after. It's fireworks, family and freedom.
This year I drove ten hours one way to watch my little brother graduate from Army basic training. And let me just say that the out pouring of love I witnessed at graduation is unmatched. The pride gushing from these families was inimitable. The uncontrollable tears flowing from the soldier's eyes when they saw their loved ones for the first time in 10 weeks was humbling. They left home civilians and we saw them for the first time as soldiers and it reminded me why we celebrate Independence Day. Why the 4th of July has always been my favorite. We celebrate our freedom by exercising those freedoms and everyone has their own way of doing this; Throw a party, light up the sky, or get lit yourself, sing and dance, or head to work like most of us in the fireworks industry. No matter how you celebrate, never forget what you're celebrating.
Below is the video I took on Family Day at Fort Jackson in South Carolina. This is where the families get to see their loved ones for the first time since they left home. They march out through the smoke onto Victory Field to the tune of "Boots On" by Otherwise. At the time I was thinking "Where can I get my hands on some military grade smoke" then quickly dismissed the idea.
The video comes to an abrupt end - and here's why: Once the soon to be graduates make it to the end of their march the families sitting in the bleachers have to go "tag out" their soldier. Meaning the solider can't move from formation until you find them and literally tag them out. I stopped filming before the chaos ensued and made my way towards my brother.
"…. Independence Day to me means seeing the many satisfied customers who’ve purchased our fireworks to celebrate their freedoms, independence, bonding with friends, family and neighbors. It makes all the hard work throughout the year worth it to see so many smiling faces looking into the sky in awe of the amazing fireworks…"
"...words that I associate with Independence Day include: Celebration, Freedom, Revolution, Demonstration, Liberty, Love, Expression, Patriotism, & of course Fireworks. More Fireworks are ignited on Independence Day than for any other national celebration in the world. It’s a day that you get to exercise and express your idea of freedom & be thankful for those who made it possible..."
And what American fireworks blog would be complete without a quote from the ever-popular Earl Dibbles Jr.
"I want my beer to be like my country... FREE!"
Leave a comment below telling us what Independence Day means to you and we just might feature you in a future post!
Signing off,
Nicole B.
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