We had nowhere to go on the Fourth of July, so I did what I always do when I have no place to go: I watched TV.
I watched the Macy’s fireworks special from New York, which Whitley had recorded for me. After that, I watched Private Benjamin, a Goldie Hawn movie about a pampered young woman who ends up joining the army and jumping out of airplanes. It’s a wonderful film, and contains some terrific marches, which Whitley remembers from his boyhood days in military school.
The film was delightful and the fireworks were spectacular. I recalled, also, that a friend of ours, who is now an international lawyer, jumped out of airplanes when he was in the National Guard during the Viet Nam War era. His stories of just how difficult this was returned to mind, and I reflected on how much it actually takes to be a member of our superb military. A soldier’s life is an act of courage, pure and simple.
After watching Private Benjamin, I was surprised to remember this, and how powerfully the memory affected me. I also watched the fireworks eagerly, remembering the many times that we’d been direct spectators of this event when we lived in New York.
After that, I was tired, so I crawled into bed wearing my red, white and blue pajamas. And that’s how I spent the Fourth. Not too exciting, but filled with wonderful memories and a deep sense of pride in the country that I love.
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Anne, I love the energy, joy,
Anne, I love the energy, joy, and authenticity of your Fourth of July words. There’s such a feeling of reality and presence in what you share and how you say it. The Macy’s fireworks viewed in a new format, the connections you made between Private Benjamin and your friend’s generous and daring leap into new unknowns, and the vivid fact of your own swim into sleep in those red, white, and blue PJ’s — unique and unforgettable. Thank you, Anne.
Enjoyed reading about your
Enjoyed reading about your 4th of July. Clinamen sums it up well in the first sentence. I stayed home, too, and had a quiet 4th. Glad to know I wasn’t the only one 🙂
Anne, I too was home on the
Anne, I too was home on the Fourth of July and borrowed the movie ‘GRAVITY’ from my library. For me it as only mediocre but then again I did not view it in 3D. The fireworks were great though, as I viewed them from my deck…..
THIS IS FROM A REVIEW…..
My Advice: If you are considering watching this movie, even a little bit, do so in 3D. And on the biggest screen you can find. That is the only way to experience Gravity.