It's INDEPENDENCE DAY!

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It’s the Fourth of July, a day for celebrating the great country we live in.  I have a favorite Fourth of July memory – it was one of my most patriotic memories made even more special because I was far from home. 

In July of 1991, my husband and I were stationed in Ludwigsburg, Germany and lived with other military families in an apartment complex of six buildings.  This holiday was only a few short months after our husbands and their fellow soldiers returned from the Gulf War.  Crisp American Flags were hung in flag holders on the sides of our buildings and there must have been dozens and dozens of them.  It was a beautiful summer day with a piercing blue sky and a breeze that made the flags snap and wave. 

These are not our actual quarters, but they are similar to those on Stuttgarter Strasse in Ludwigsburg Germany.  The Stuttgarter Strasse community was turned over to the German government within a year or so of when we lived there.  I am not sure who took this photograph, but thank you.

We had a wonderful group of friends while we were stationed in Germany.  Matt & Linda, Mike & Denise, Angelique and Mike...  We were spending the day the way we were supposed to, enjoying each other’s company and grilling out.  As we were hanging out, a German police car pulled up and the officer inside rolled down the window and asked, “What are all the flags for?” 

I grinned from ear to ear like a little kid and announced, “It’s America’s Birthday!  It’s Independence Day!”  The officer smiled and nodded his head, “Ah...Ya, ya.”   I am reminded of the street urchin in Dickons’ A Christmas Carol¸ who responds to Scrooges’ question,  “What day is it?”  “Today?” the lad answers back, “Why it’s Christmas Day, Sir!”   I think back to that feeling of pride in our country and our flag and the wonder of it all.  Are we perfect?  Of course we are not.  But we are special and I am humbled by the sacrifice of the service members that have fought and continue to fight to make our country great.  I think of their families and the sacrifices that they make every day to support their service members.

I hope somewhere, an American military family gathers on foreign soil, just hanging out with their friends, grilling hot dogs, laughing at the kids, and pulling cold beers from a cooler.  Thank you.  You make us proud.