Happy 4th of July!
TEN NEW SHOES: “Settling into a new country is like getting used to a new pair of shoes. At first they pinch a little, but you like the way they look, so you carry on. The longer you have them, the more comfortable they become. Until one day without realizing it you reach a glorious plateau. Wearing those shoes is like wearing no shoes at all. The more scuffed they get, the more you love them and the more you can't imagine life without them.” ― Tahir Shah, In Arabian Nights
Saturday, July 5, 2014
Fireworks and Flags: Independence Day in DC
There is something undeniably patriotic about watching fireworks explode over the National Mall while sitting with family and friends at the foot of the Washington Monument in DC. As the first fireworks lit the night sky, Darling Daughter burst into a spontaneous chorus of "The Star Spangled Banner" (followed by a somewhat less patriotic but just as beautiful rendition of the Korean national anthem!), and we all joined in.
We had been a bit nervous about fighting the crowds to watch the fireworks, but after the crowds we'd seen in Korea, it was nothing to worry about. We rode the subway downtown and met up with some friends from Korea who are here now (heading to Malaysia in two weeks!). Then we walked down to the mall and found a beautiful spot on the grass at the base of the Washington Monument with a fantastic view. There were people everywhere, but there was a lot of space and it just didn't feel crowded, just festive. We got there about 8pm, had an hour or so to talk and play, and then the fireworks started going off around 9:15.
It was a spectacular display, and we were all so glad to be there. The crowds leaving were worse than the crowds coming but still not too bad.
We made it on the first subway train and though it was crowded, I was amazed by how people just waited for a new train instead of forcing their way in (like they did in Korea). On the way home, we saw a fantastic firefly display that rivaled the actual fireworks as the most magical display of the night. Watching the little lights flicker and dance around the dark was hypnotizing.
I am so grateful to be a citizen of the United States of America, to be free to live the best I can and to pursue a life of meaning and happiness. I am so grateful for the legacy of heroes our history offers and for the wonderful opportunity to live here in the heart of it all for a time so that I can teach our children what America stands for and the value of liberty. Though we may be citizens of the world more often than residents of America, I hope we never forget why we are doing this and what we are ultimately a part of.
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