Independence Holiday Musings

There is a lot of quiet anger and distrust in this country now, more than I've ever seen in my lifetime.

Yesterday I took the day off work for another of our pre-retirement home improvement projects here at the bruig. In between work, the contractors expressed concerns about where the country was heading. One younger and one older, both distrusted leadership and thought things were getting worse. Later at my brother's house I heard similar comments by working men who normally would banter about NASCAR or holiday weekend plans.

Despite a cloudless, beautiful summer day there was a grim dreariness on the face of most citizens going about their business in Bruigville. The wife and I made a couple trips to the hardware store and we talked about the mood we saw on the faces of people we encountered. Quite odd for a pre-holiday afternoon. We also noted the lack of flags and fireworks, which usually were both in abundance the week before Independence day. Usually the fireworks are almost non-stop every evening before the 4th but there were just a few pops and bangs all week long. Something is different this year.

I've heard few references to Independence Day this year. Mostly I've heard "fireworks display" or some other vague reference to fireworks or long holiday weekend. Have we forgotten the reason for each of our national holidays? Is this holiday just the celebration of not having to work and making booms and firey lights in the sky?

My wife is an eternal optimist, always looking for the good in people and events. She sees the loving hand of God moving in all things and willingly does His work as a helping Angel on earth. I am the grim realist, having lost most of the magic of life decades ago. But even my optimistic wife is beginning to whisper that evil has fallen over the land and things are not as they should be. Both of us wonder who sent these leaders who would rule us with untalented, clumsy hands.

In ancient Ireland, the Dagda (the Good God) would smile on the land and the tuatha (the people) if the king was without blemish. Surely the Dagda is not smiling on us with the hideous leaders we have chosen to lead today. None could stand upon the Lia Fail and obtain a roar of approval by the land.

We're going to gather our family here at the bruig tonight, have a cookout and bonfire then watch the local festival fireworks from our backyard. I'll explain to the grandson why we celebrate our independence with fireworks. How a people told a tyrant that they would no longer accept his cruel rule and used fire and lead against his thugs to obtain freedom.

King George was covered with blemishes, including insanity. Our president is blemished with dishonesty, narcissism, homosexual acts and corruption. Much of our congress is blemished the same. None could stand upon the Lia Fail and hear so much as a peep. Many of the citizens of this land crave dependence on these disfigured leaders. Others wish for independence from the blemished tyrants and their cruel rule. Round and round the wheel turns. What was old becomes new.

I aim to raise grandsons that can stand unblemished before the Dagda, roar to announce their presence in the land then have the Good God smile upon them and the land. A grim, dreary life is not a life worth living for any son of Mil.