nostalgia

The Fourth of July has always meant true summer to me. I remember the day as a warm blur filled with friendly competitions, hot sand and salty water, bonfires with s'mores, and fireworks that colored the sky and my imagination with impossible swirls and patterns, afterimages that refused to fade.

Luckily, the parents of our little group of misfits managed to capture and convey my nostalgic ramblings throughout the years...

Our celebrations have somewhat changed and remained the same. Last year I spent the day with Lisa and Mimi, making flag cakes and splashing in the pool. When my family had an exchange student, we mucked around at my aunt's house and beach (Florentine especially loved the fireworks seen from the seawall). The people don't seem to stay the same, at least not in the way they did when I was younger. Despite any and all changes, the Fourth of July will always bring me back to these rosy-hued memories and the people who made them with me.

Happy Fourth, America!

Hope your day is filled with food, laughter, and loved ones.