July, 2025 – Celebrating America!
In 2025, America will celebrate the 249th birthday of its independence from Great Britain on July 4th, a date also known as Independence Day. This day commemorates the ratification of the Declaration of Independence by the Second Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, which marked the birth of the United States of America.
Independence Day from 1776 to the present day July 4th has been celebrated as the birth of American independence, with festivities ranging from fireworks, parades and concerts to more casual family gatherings and barbecues. The Fourth of July this year, 2025, is on a Friday.
Recently I booked flight reservations from Boston to Bucharest (RO) for July 5. After having been out of the country several years ago on the 4th of July, I decided that if it were in my power that would never happen again. I love the festivities – the celebration of the country where it was within God’s keeping for me to be born and raised. NYC, Washington D.C. and other cities have spectacular celebrations, but being from the east coast (MA), to me there is no greater honor to our country than the celebration that goes on in Boston. Several years ago, it was my privilege to attend this glorious day and all it had to offer with my oldest son. There was such a sense of jubilation in the air. Major streets were closed off for the nearly one million people in attendance – and with absolutely no liquor allowed.
Each year the family friendly day of celebration includes Harborfest, Historical Re-enactments on the Freedom Trail, major streets closed in order for families to roam about safely, picnics on the banks of the Charles River – and ends with a free concert on the Hatch Memorial Shell on the Esplanade. People in attendance from all over the country (and from countries abroad), wait in anticipation for the Boston Pops to conclude the concert with Keith Lockhart’s conducting Tchaikovsky’s “1812 Overture”. And, oh the magnificent display of fireworks following the Overture are beyond breathtaking! I don’t want to miss that ever again! BTW, I was in a really odd place the one year I did miss the celebratory birthday holiday of America – England! Our ‘enemy’! I am joking, but trust me the Brits had/have no delight in our Fourth of July!!
For those who may be upset with the leadership of our country – any leadership – to the extent that they want to relocate elsewhere on our planet, or at least let it be known with such harsh vitriolic/hatred/negativity spewings from their hearts to their mouths to our ears, you really do not know the damage you do. For parts of the past twenty-five years, I have served/lived/worked in Eastern Europe – namely, Romania. No doubt about it, nothing is perfect here in America (a perfect society/place is reserved for Heaven). However, those whose negativity succeeds in only acting as a cancer to our country, need to live in a different culture/county in order to see that for which they have to be thankful before tearing our country apart with their hateful, destructive rhetoric. We’re a country – we need to work together – lift each other up – not put forth our own wills and selfish wants. Wake up! No one can expect to have a balanced view when all one sees is their own view. If you don’t like America, take a year off (even two or three months) to travel abroad – not for a holiday, but to pitch in and help people in dire need. I guarantee one conclusion of such a trip would be: ‘Thank You, God, that I can help – that no one has to come help me. Thank You for all that America does have to offer me!’
I don’t know what the future is for America, but let’s enjoy our freedoms for as long as we can. Let’s use positivity in appreciation for all we have – as no other country in this world does. I pray for my country. I pray for our leadership. I pray for revival in America. In the meantime, I want to use language that embraces that for which I pray.
HAPPY 249TH BIRTHDAY, AMERICA!!!
