"How often we fail to realize our good fortune in living in a country where happiness is more than a lack of tragedy." ~ Paul Sweeney

On Friday, I went to the library to pick up some books I had on hold. As I drove, I could see and hear fighter jets practicing down on the riverfront for the weekend's air shows. Once inside the library, I went to the children's room to look for The Iron Giant on DVD (it's fantastic, by the way), and while I was browsing, the jets flew over a few times. A grandmother with two small boys in tow asked me what was going on, so I told her the jets were practicing for the air show. The boys, maybe four and five years old, were instantly interested in what we were talking about. Where were the jets? What jets? Could they see them? They drifted toward the children's room windows, and as I turned to leave, I heard one of them say, "I saw the jet! I saw it!"

I am not stereotypically patriotic. There are things about America that I love and things that make me very unhappy. There are things that make me proud, and things that shame me.

I have no doubt that there are places in the world where the sound of jets in the sky--perhaps especially American jets--is a signal to run not for the windows, but for cover. I am glad to live in a place where children can still celebrate fighter jets.

Happy fourth, everyone.


Here's a beautiful post about seeing fireworks from a plane (from Schnozzfest, last year).