The Fourth of July is my second favorite holiday.  What I love about it boils down to two things:

• Bald patriotism is OK on this day. The cynics quiet down, and we all take at least a minute to acknowledge that our country is a good place to live.  It's flawed, full of double standards, greed, poverty, unfairness, struggles and strife.  But it's also as free as a country can be with lots of opportunity. When I join the crowd and sing America the Beautiful and the Star Spangled Banner, it's not a prelude to a ball game or a ceremony of some sort, it's sung from the heart for its own sake.  It's a really good feeling. 
• FIREWORKS!!!!   I love fireworks. I love to go to displays and sit as close to them as I can. I want the ashes to fall on my face as the sky is filled with color and the booms resonate in my chest. I also love that whole communities come together to watch. It's a gentle, sweet experience that I go out of my way to have every year.  

This year I will forego standing downwind of a display to hear the Air Force Band play at the Air Force Memorial, which will provide a beautiful view of the fireworks over the Washington Monument.  Gonna be sweet!!