HOW TO ENJOY A RICH-HEALTHY-HAPPY 4TH OF JULY

For All Boomers and Seniors, Make This 4^th of July One To Remember

I have found this upcoming 4^th of July to be more of a time of reflection than celebration.  Reflection on all the fun times, travels, cookouts, fireworks, friends, family, flying the American flag and plenty of libation.  And of course, watching the fireworks displays from Boston and Washington D.C. on our small, medium and now large sized TV’s.  Reflection is the right thing to do rather than mourning the loss of all the above due to the coronavirus and other events occurring in our fine nation.  We all take for granted those good times and never thought, ever, that they would not be here forever.  With that, however, there is nothing to say that we still can’t celebrate the 4^th, but in a completely different manner than past years.  

Here in California the beaches are shut down for the second or third time (I’ve lost count), the state is rolling back its phased business openings, and sheltering is once again the watch word of the day.  OK, so be it, at BoomerGal we say let’s rejoice.  Take a walk down memory lane and recall your favorite times and venues, and with whom you celebrated.  Go to your photo album either in hard copy or on line and get fulfilled.  Some of my favorites to follow:  

• Living higher up in the hills of Palm Desert and looking across the Coachella Valley vista with the sky ablaze from an amazing display of fireworks.
• From our home atop Mt. Scott in Portland, Oregon, the sky would erupt in red, white and blue.  
• We had a second home in Bend, Oregon and would watch as the entire city would come out to celebrate Independence Day with American Pride.  One year we had my parents and nephew with us and decided to pull over on a side street and break out the blankets.  We were surprised when one of the local residents said we could spread out on their front lawn to watch the fireworks. The standing joke was whether they would set fire to Pilot Butte as they were launching a plethora of fireworks.  It would be considered a bust if if it didn’t catch fire.  Ha.  The fire trucks were always nearby.
• In San Ramon which is on the opposite side of the bay from San Francisco, we watched the fireworks from the Chevron Building, which gave us a view down to the Silicon Valley and all the way up to Danville and Walnut Creek.  Talk about spectacular.  Our friends and family whooped it up till we were hoarse.
• Probably the most memorable, was the year we went to Lake Tahoe and found a secluded spot off the beaten path near the Northstar Resort.  It turned out to be a magical spot.  We opened our moon roof and right above us a firework’s display like none before.  The best part, we were absolutely alone and enjoying every moment.

I truly hope you can recall some of your favorites, and perhaps share them with someone special.  

As we reflect, it’s also important to acknowledge the history of the 4^th of July.  It has been a federal holiday since 1870, but the real tradition of Independence Day goes back to July 2^nd, 1776 when the Continental Congress voted in favor of independence, and two days later, July 4^th, 1776 the delegates from the original 13 colonies adopted the Declaration of Independence as drafted by Thomas Jefferson.  

Since that fateful day, July 4^th has been celebrated as the birth of American freedom and independence, with festivities ranging from fireworks, parades, concerts to wonderful family gatherings and barbeques, along with vacationing all across our beautiful American landscape.

This year, the sights and sounds celebrating the 4^th of July will be slightly different.  Many fireworks have been cancelled, pageants and parades will not be held, restaurants and bars will perhaps not be as bustling as in years past, and family and friend’s get togethers might just be limited in scope all due to the coronavirus.  And while this aspect of our life makes for a unique 4^th of July, it is with due caution that we remain vigilant and stay healthy and safe.  

So sit back, have your favorite 4^th of July cocktail and reflect on times past.  Have a cookout , even if it’s just for yourself or a few (very few) loved ones, watch a movie on TV even if you have to pay for it, but most of all be kind to our great country by remembering the true significance of Independence Day and how it has crafted our existence of freedom to this day.  And, please, remember to fly our flag proudly.

At BoomerGal, my BoomerGuy and I are wishing you a very special 4^th of July.

Editorial Contribution by History.com Editors