July 4th means...

Tomorrow being Independence Day in the US, I'm wishing all my family and friends a joyous and safe day. 

July 4th has always been a special day for us Spindillyrushinghams because it was Mum and Dad's anniversary.  They were married somewhere in Kent, England in 1941, neither older than 20.  My dad was in his Canadian Forces uniform, my mum in a dress with a white collar, and unlike me, who still remembers and goes on about every moment of our wedding, they never talked to us about the ceremony.  Of course, marriages in England during the war weren't lavish but looking back, it seems strange not to know who was there.  Why don't we ask those questions when our parents and grandparents are alive?  It makes me sad not to know more about the circumstances.

I do know they were in love and stayed that way until my mum died, anxious to see Bill and Jesus in that order.  They made a safe and loving home for us in all the 20-some places we lived and did all the parent/grandparent/sibling/friends things with grace and an enviable  kind of two-of-usness that no one ever questioned. 

They set us a high standard for relationships without ever mentioning it or lecturing us and I could never have told them enough how much I appreciated having such great role models.

So, America, and specifically you people whom I love in it, have a wonderful July 4th, and I'll have a warm, contemplative one.  Both just right.