Celebrate our country, not the president
Susanna Shetley photo
Growing up, my family spent every July Fourth at Ocean Lakes Campground in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. We had a little blue and white camper on a permanent lot. It wasn’t much, but it was ours, and years of special memories were made on that little piece of property.
When I was 12, we bought a nicer mobile home unit and while it was admittedly helpful to have more space and a small air condition unit, the shinier version never could replace the original in our hearts.
Both my parents were teachers with second jobs at night, so luxury vacations weren’t a part of my childhood. And since we had our own place at the beach, we didn’t have to worry about the upcharge that happens on campground lots and motel rooms during a holiday period. We were able to pull into our little abode and enjoy one another all week, eating a lot of watermelon, riding bikes for hours, and splashing in the waves, awaiting the big night when we would lay an old quilt on the sand and watch the sky alight with fireworks.
My sister and I grew up taking dance and baton lessons and somehow we became part of the annual Fourth of July entertainment for the campground. There was a community center in the middle of Ocean Lakes where they held events such as bingo, craft fairs and BBQ nights. On the Fourth, they set up rows of chairs and it became an entertainment hall where campground guests were invited to perform.
Each year, my sister and I would dance or twirl in red, white and blue costumes to songs such as “Yankee Doodle Dandy” and “In the Navy.” I’ve never been one who enjoys being the center of attention, and I recall being grateful when the show was over so I could simply enjoy being a normal kid and enjoy the rest of the festivities without the impending nerves of performing in front of spectators.
Over a three- or four-day span, Ocean Lakes offered a calendar of patriotic events from the show at the community center to a pig pickin’ to a golf cart parade and we enjoyed every moment. It reminds me of how Lake Junaluska offers a series of activities leading up to the fireworks display over the water.
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My boys will grow up and have their own special memories of the Fourth of July, most of which have happened in Haywood County. I have years’ worth of pictures showcasing my boys and their friends lined up on a stone wall at Lake Junaluska waving little flags and awaiting the mid-morning parade before spending the day at the pool, grilling out, then ending the night watching fireworks. One of my last memories of my mom was all of us sitting on the balcony at the Terrace Hotel watching the fireworks. Over the years, we’ve also enjoyed fireworks in Canton and Maggie Valley.
Whether you’re someone who visits a certain place on the Fourth or takes advantage of the events in your hometown, most everyone can recall beautiful moments and heartfelt memories related to this holiday. With it falling in the middle of summer break for kids, it always feels like the climax of summertime, the midpoint before moving into the weeks leading up to the start of school.
For some, it’s challenging to feel patriotic right now, but I was recently reminded of a Theodore Roosevelt quote that said, “Patriotism means to stand by the country. It does not mean to stand by the president … It is patriotic to support him in so far as he efficiently serves the country. It is unpatriotic not to oppose him to the exact extent that by inefficiency or otherwise he fails in his duty to stand by the country.”
There are people who are refusing to celebrate Independence Day this year as an act of advocacy or resistance, but for me, supporting our country and agreeing with the president are vastly different. Presidents come and go, but our country remains our country, meaning we can’t abandon it during tough times, just like we wouldn’t abandon a person we love during a rough patch. As the Roosevelt quote reminds us, we must do the opposite. It would be unpatriotic not to voice our opinions or support what’s right when the president appears hellbent on the contrary
As we go through this week and into the Fourth of July holiday, take some time to embrace all for which you are grateful. Spend quality time with your loved ones, lean into the small moments and focus on making memories. Years from now as we sit around and talk about “back when,” let’s ensure the stories we’ll be telling are good ones.
(Susanna Shetley is a writer, editor and digital media professional. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..)
