The True Spirit of Independence Day

posted by blair on 6th, 2009

Most of the past 4th of July celebrations that I have enjoyed have fallen into the predictable category – cookout, fireworks and time spent with loved ones.

This year’s Independence Day fulfilled the same categories but were accentuated to the highest with new ways of seeing fireworks, having a cookout and enjoying time with others.

I spent my “long” weekend in the Panhandle, Destin to be exact, visiting my cousin Stefanie and her family. Between the three-day weekend, my parents and I traveled around from Destin to Fort Walton Beach to Freeport to Defuniak Springs.

The girls and kids spent Friday soaking up the rays on the beach while the boys played golf at one of Destin’s luxury golf courses. We met up at our hotel pool and had dinner together at Destin hotspot FudPucker (make sure to say it slowly to keep it clean!).

The actual 4th of July was the cookout in Defuniak Springs with family. We left the hubbub of Destin for the comforts of a secluded ranch with miles of acreage.

I was able to explore those acres on the back of a Rhino while enjoying “real” hot boiled peanuts in the blistering sun. Don’t get me started on blisters from the sun as a few of us are hurting from the sun’s rays this weekend.

The cookout included typical 4th staples like hotdogs and potato salad but was changed up a bit (at least for me) with Thai noodles made personally by a family friend from Thailand. He also made soup and a vegetable concoction that made my lips go numb for a little bit. Different yet tasty.

Time spent with loved ones included celebrating my second cousin’s 5th birthday and watching him oogle his racecar birthday cake.

Yet the most exciting part for me was getting to shoot my first gun. It wasn’t just some little BB gun or pistol but an actual shotgun that had enough firepower to make me temporarily deaf and give me a nice little bruise on my arm. I may not have hit any of the clay targets that were used (maybe one) but for a little bit I felt like “I am Woman. See and Hear Me Fire My Gun.”

The day was concluded with five different firework displays that we saw from the parking lot of FudPucker. It was neat seeing the different style and arrangement of each display while quietly pondering all the wonderful freedoms, such as being able to watch innocent fireworks, that God and this great country has blessed us with. What colorful explosives can do to a person?

I didn’t do much from the normal formula of Independence Day but I welcomed the changes made to the holiday to make it one of the more memorable times in my life.

I hope everyone else had a wonderful 4th of July as well and enjoyed the day with those that mean most in their lives.