Fourth of July

If you are fortunate to grow up or raise a family in Chatham, New Jersey, you know that the Fourth of July is part of the fabric of the town. Each year, on this day, families gather by eight or nine in the morning in friends’ backyards to begin the celebration. Mimosas, Bloody Marys, juice boxes, donut holes, bagels, cream cheese, butter and fruit platters cover long tables. Little ones hold pint-sized American flags, and residents don their red, white and blue garb ready for the day’s festivities. Soon, hundreds descend upon Main Street where the parade begins at 10:30 AM sharp. A loud shot signals the start, followed by crying toddlers who go running to their parents, hands over their ears. We cheer for the local fire departments, boy scout troops, town sports teams, marching bands and the old-fashioned cars. In an hour, it’s over, and residents fold up their lawn chairs while children climb into red wagons and journey home to prepare for barbecues and block parties. By dusk, blankets cover the big lawn at the middle school where a band plays, children run and teens meet up. Soon fireworks light up the Chatham sky. It often seems too perfect…not even real. But it is indeed real.

For me, it is the purest day of the year.