Dear Readers,
Another Fourth of July has come and gone. Fireworks were shot, meats were grilled, and adult beverages were consumed. As the festivities wrapped up and the echoes of the fireworks faded, I couldn't help but think back on the July 4th holidays of my youth. There’s something about this time of year that pulls me back to those golden days, and I’m sure many of you have similar memories tucked away, too.
For me, Independence Day was almost always spent camping at Norfork Lake. Now, I know the diehard campers with their tents and rocks for pillows don't consider what we did to be "camping," but I sure appreciated the air conditioning and comfy beds of a camper. To each their own, right? There’s no denying, though, that the spirit of the holiday was alive and well on that lake.
The fireworks show at Norfork Lake, to me, is the embodiment of Independence Day, even though they hold their show on July 3. Sometimes we watched from the bank, but most times we were out on the lake on our boat, the water gently rocking us as we gazed up at the sky. Those fireworks, exploding in a cascade of colors, were the highlight of the holiday, painting memories that would last a lifetime.
A week or two prior to the firework show, to be honest I don't remember exactly, a fish fry and pie auction was held at Henderson to raise money for the fireworks. The whole community came together, contributing their best pies and frying up the freshest fish. There was something magical about those gatherings, where everyone’s laughter mixed with the scent of fried fish and sweet pies, all for the sake of lighting up the sky on the Fourth of July.
One of my most vivid memories is from the last Fourth of July I spent at the lake with my dad. It was just over a year before he died. I was sitting at the front of the boat, soaking in the anticipation, the excitement, the joy of the moment. I turned back to see him sitting in the driver's seat, his face illuminated by the first burst of fireworks. He was watching the display with a calm, almost serene look. I wonder if he had a sense that it was the last time he would see them? That image is etched in my mind, a snapshot of a moment that was both ordinary and extraordinary.
The fireworks reflected in his eyes, the smile that played on his lips, the gentle rocking of the boat. The Independence Days spent at the lake were finite moments, but the memory of them will last forever. They remind me of the simplicity of joy, the power of togetherness, and the bittersweet passage of time.
As we move forward, celebrating each Fourth of July with our own traditions, let’s take a moment to remember those who made past celebrations special. For me, it’s my dad and those nights on Norfork Lake, the fireworks crackling overhead as the water lapped against the boat. What are your memories? Who do you think of when the sky lights up in a thousand colors?
