This week I wanted to take a moment to give a big thank you to Macy's for the Fireworks on the Fourth of July. When I lived in Manhattan I watched the fireworks every year, sometimes from the comfort of my own home or rooftop, sometimes with friends, and sometimes I'd have to walk across town when I was living on the West Side and they weren't on the Hudson River. The first few years I lived in the neighborhood where I am now, I could see them from across the River because they were on the Hudson for quite a while. Then all of a sudden the decision was made to move them to the East River, and because I didn't want to deal with traveling on such a difficult day to travel, I tried to watch them from different places in Jersey City to see if it was possible to see anything. Then a beautiful thing happened, and Jersey City decided to have a big celebration on the Fourth of July with its own fireworks capping off the evening. I didn't know what to expect, but I went to the area where I thought I might be able to see them the best, and with God's leading I found a really beautiful viewing spot and it was a really wonderful experience. That became my regular routine for a number of years, and it was a lovely one.
This year, when I heard that the fireworks would be back on the Hudson River, I was very excited because it made it very easy for me to be at YES Gallery during the day to enjoy that space and visit with people who stopped by, and to do some things that I needed and wanted to do there and then walk over to the Hoboken Waterfront to watch the display. I had heard from friends in other areas that the news was saying that there would be tens of thousands of people expected in Hoboken and that public transportation was adding on extra trains and vehicles to get people there. I had heard that the celebration would be starting at 8pm, and though I knew that would be a kind of a pre-show across the River and that we wouldn't see any fireworks from across the River until sometime after 9pm when it was dark enough, I decided to walk over with the 8pm time in mind just to make sure I could find a good spot for viewing.
There were so many people, some who had been there for hours picnicking and sitting on blankets, and it reminded me of years ago with my own Mother and Father and how we would make a party of it with a cooler and food and our trusty blanket we only usually otherwise used at the beach. I remember those times as being such happy times, and when I arrived at the Hoboken Waterfront and saw all the families there on their blankets with their picnics it was such a wonderful bringing together of those days and places long ago and the beautiful day and place of today.
The fireworks were spectacular this year. I don't know if it's just because I was so happy that they were back on the Hudson River, but it seemed like they were extra special. I'll share a few videos here to give you a glimpse, but they really were so gorgeous that these glimpses only give a small idea of the way that they made me smile from ear to ear as I watched them, remembering that this very special experience was possible because of where I live now and the life I have that I am so very grateful for.
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