Joyful Transformation

The 4th of July is a big deal to me. We live on a lake, right across the water from the park where they shoot fireworks every year. No not bottle rockets and roman candles, the BIG fireworks. It is the one time a year I can open my home to all my friends without fearing my husband will not be supportive. I love having people over. He is such a planner. He wants to think and plan things way in advance. I on the other hand fly by the seat of my pants all the time. In our case it is true that opposites attract. Anyway I am grateful for the one day a year we can agree that we are going to entertain. (not that we really have to do anything, just provide a nice view).

As a child I can remember going to my uncle’s pond on the 4th of July. We would cook out, make home made ice cream, eat watermelon, but most importantly spend the day in the water. I am not sure I would have let my children swim in a pond!! But we loved it. It was a new pond so not grown up or snaky. I am not sure if there were fish in it or not. I probably should be glad I don’t know. My little brother got the worst sunburn ever there one year. He had the big ole water blisters on his back. He has a much fairer complexion than I do, so he suffered greatly. As I remember he floated around on a raft all day that he was probably trying to keep it away from me. He would probably remember it as I wouldn’t let him play with me and my friends so he had to go off by himself. Either way he burned. I hated for him to be that miserable. We were not the lovey-dovey siblings, we FOUGHT and fought a lot. I screamed the words “get out of my room!!” at least once a day. But I really didn’t want to see him hurting. The funny thing is as adults he is one of my best friends. We finish each other sentences and can break into commercials from the 70’s and 80’s without hesitation. We live an ocean apart but he knows me as well as anyone. I love him and cherish the talks that we have, whether on the phone, via e-mail, or once a year in person. The kids think we are “weird” when we are together. I guess we are. Man I miss him.

There is a good side to everything though. That awful sunburn made for some great peeling. I just loved peeling those big hunks of skin off his back. I know that is gross to some, but one of the fine pleasures in life for me. Have a safe and wonderful 4th.