There are a lot of weekends and events that we earmark on the calendar in our minds, and few get us as excited as our national Independence Day, the 4th of July. Independence Day is, of course, the day that we recognize the drafting and signing of the Declaration of Independence, and effectively, the beginning of this long crazy journey into the Great Experiment. Along the way from our humble beginnings as a country, we’ve certainly had to course-correct more than once. The idealist in me can’t help but assert, though, that we’ve made these corrections and strides being driven by the beacon of goodwill and the sense that freedom and independence for all is our true aim. But, I’d be remiss if I didn’t also make the connection to this Independence Day to some more tangible, immediate types of freedoms, either.
Freedom to Party
Cheesy? Perhaps. Relatable? Absolutely! The 4th of July is an excuse for my family of origin and all of the related spouses, kids, partners, and close friends to come together. This isn’t terribly unique on the surface, but considering that we all live in a total of 7 international time zones, coming together once a year takes a considerable amount of planning and flexibility with our respective employers. As you can probably expect, I am the most fortunate of the brood because I work so intimately with some of the best tools for working remotely, but just because I’m equipped with my VirtualPBX Desktop Softphone doesn’t mean that it’s going to be all business today. Not even remotely. It may be cliché, but we like to get down for our Independence Day celebrations, and with a small battalion of wild-kids-turned-adults-with-increased-spending-power, that can only mean one thing- fireworks.
Light Fuse, Run Away
By land, by air, and at sea, we come from far and wide to an undisclosed location in the rolling hills of western New York State to celebrate family and country. And across those various channels we each cross through various jurisdictions with more permissive laws on the books regulating firework and firecracker sales. As a result, and though I cannot confirm or deny if the items in this image are or are not in our collective possession, we could possibly assemble a formidable array of pyrotechnic supplies. We all mark this occasion in our own way, of course, and our particular method includes our best effort at recreating the municipal fireworks display to the best of our ability. Not only is it a fun way for our inner children to get into some shenanigans, it’s also a sure-fired way to secure the best seat in the house for the big fireworks display. You can let me know on Twitter or Facebook if you think you’ve got a better display on the docket, I’d be thrilled to compare notes!
Freedom To Celebrate How You See Fit
While we have our own slant on what Independence Day means to my family, that’s not what it’s like for everyone here at VirtualPBX, and it certainly isn’t the same for each of you, either. That’s the neatest thing at the core of this holiday, in my humble opinion. We all have the right to choose what is right for our families and ourselves. While me may not translate that exactly right into national policy, this noble sentiment is enough to keep millions of people together even during the most tumultuous of times, and that’s worth something. That being said, from everyone here at VirtualPBX, I want to wish you a safe, happy, and healthy Independence Day! I hope you get to do exactly what you want, how you want to do it, in celebration of our nation’s independence.