Post Fourth

Hope you’re enjoying the long weekend. The long run-up to the fourth has been painful with the nightly fireworks while soothing an anxious pup. Last night was the worst thus far, and although I know that it’s likely that the post fourth shenanigans will continue, I’m looking forward to uninterrupted sleep. Trust me when I say that I enjoy the beauty that comes with fireworks. They can be magical. For those who experience trauma from hearing the noises associated with them, I hope that the next few days can be more peaceful.

For so many reasons, the Fourth did not feel as celebratory as in years past. You name it – COVID-19, the exclusion of those in America who are continually trying to find equity as citizens and indigenous people, who are the 1st people of this land fighting to protect it. There is still work to be done. The Founding Fathers imperfectly created this Great American Experiment, and we still need to educate ourselves so that we can evolve the status quo. If you haven’t read or listened to Frederick Douglass’ “The Meaning of July Fourth for the Negro”, look no further.

I spent part of this weekend along with I’m sure millions of others watching “Hamilton”. I saw the live performance in Philly in November 2019, so it was delightful to watch the original cast perform it onscreen. The soundtrack has been on repeat since it first dropped (I have CDs as well as the downloaded music so I’m that old). All that I can hope for is that I continue to learn and evolve so that I can play a part in improving the Great American Experiment.

Wishing you well.

MXM