Thankfully, It’s Just the Sound of Fireworks

family, happiness, social justice, United States 1 Minute

As my wife and I went for an after-dinner walk through our neighborhood tonight, we were surrounded by the sound of fireworks coming from every direction.

It was a wonderful sound, the sound of people celebrating their freedom and independence.

But then it struck me that those same sounds may strike terror in the hearts of people living in countries that are currently at war. Do those loud bangs suggest gunfire and bombs?

The thought reminded me once again of how lucky we are and how grateful I am to be living in such a wonderful country.

Happy 4th!

Published by Jim Borden

A 60-something guy trying to figure out the world, and his place in it. Happily married for 40-plus years, three wonderful sons. Accounting teacher, fitness enthusiast, blogger, reader.

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52 thoughts on “Thankfully, It’s Just the Sound of Fireworks”

  1. According to the Chinese, those sounds ward off evil spirits. I just hope we won’t have to use the real thing someday in the future, to ward off the Chinese.

    I hope you’ve had a happy Fourth, Jim!

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  3. Hope you had a wonderful 4th of July 😁 Here in California its still going on and its actually a little louder this year. But as long as people are being safe and enjoying themselves then I will deal with the loudness this evening. 😁

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  4. My dog is not doing well, even though it’s only half as bad as last year. 10:45 here (sporadic explosions) but last year the fireworks went on past 1:30 a.m.

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  7. In 1776, a fledgling nation struck out in the pursuit of its ideals. 245 years later, we still stand as a beacon of democracy. Though the rest of the world gets tired hearing it, we are the greatest country to live in. Happy Fourth to you and yours, my friend!

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  9. Great point about being reminded of our privilege of living in great countries without fault catastrophes to tend with! I love seeing and hearing fireworks displays when I’m out with my family but when my kid is trying to sleep and the fireworks sound like gunshots from my own backyard I get a bit tense and admittedly a little grouchy LOL… at least it’s not happening every day and every holiday 🤓🙏

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    1. yes, for teh most part, it is a nice sound to hear, on special occasions. and speaking of gunshots, I always find it odd that some people seem to have a tradition of shooting off a gun on New Year’s Eve…

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  11. I’m going to rain on the parade. Sorry.

    Birthdays are good occasions to celebrate and to also take a look in the mirror. It is about time Americans come to their senses and stop believing their own propaganda about being the “greatest” country the world has ever seen. Really? How many times has that thought been drummed into our heads. The USA is actually the most brainwashed country in history. That has led to selling ourselves short on many things. Race is a brutally obvious area where America has a terrible record. Healthcare and income inequality also come to mind. But if we are so damn “great,” there is little incentive to change anything.

    January 6 shows many Americans who would consider themselves to be extremely patriotic have a distorted idea of patriotism and how democracy works. We’d be better served if July 4 was used as a day to study and reflect on the principles and ideals upon which the country was founded.

    I’m glad Juneteenth was added as a national holiday. It was done rather stealthily without a lot of fanfare. Many Americans are probably angry and confused over it. The fact that July 4, 1776 meant nothing to my ancestors is something many Americans would prefer to not be reminded of.

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    1. thank you for your perspective, John. I always learn something from you when you share your thoughts.

      I was happy to see Juneteenth come onto existence, but it all seemed so rushed, and without the proper fanfare a new federal holiday should have received. Hopefully next year it will be more celebratory.

      And January 6 was an embarrassment to our country, perhaps the biggest I’ve experienced in my 63 years.

      There’s no doubt that as a country we’ve got a lot of work to do, but I can’t think of a place I’d rather live.

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  12. Happy 5th, Jim, having missed the 4th due to time difference. An interesting collection of responses to your post, ranging from the blindly jingoistic to the harshly realistic!

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    1. our dog remained relatively calm, but I know cats and dogs are usually quite bothered by fireworks. I’d be happy is they just did the grand finale right up front, and it was over with…

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  14. Happy 4th of July, Jim! My own country isn’t the best (Malaysia), but like you, I’m grateful that I can wake up in relative peace and not have to brave the crazy things going on in the world, such as the military coup happening in a neighbouring country. Thanks for this post!

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  15. By now I am guessing from the comments you had a Happy 4th July…with much to be thankful for..it must be awful living where the sounds and bangs of fireworks strike fear and not pleasure x

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