Traditions

A late happy Fourth of July to you! I love this holiday. And I can predict pretty well what's going to happen on the Fourth of July every year, because of the tradition my family has followed for longer than I've been alive.

My grandfather was in the Navy, and so he was stationed in San Diego, and so my dad grew up in Coronado, which back then was a real Navy-based town. My grandparents stayed there all of this time, and so for years now, my family on my dad's side have always gone down to Coronado for the Fourth of July. In the morning we go to the parade, then during lunch into the afternoon we'd all go onto the military base and skip the crowds and go to the pool or the beach. From there we'd go back to my grandparents, have a barbeque, and then head out for the fireworks. Afterwards, we'd all go home and wait for next year when we'd all get together again.

Some things have changed. My sister has her own family now, and she lives too far away to come down with two little kids. My uncle has moved back to California from Minnesota, and so we get to see some of his family now. Pretty much all of the grandkids are older now, and a new generation has come up. And this year, my aunt's family couldn't make it. It's definitely changed, but still a lot of it is the same.

As I've been going through the process of watching my family get older and grow up, I've enjoyed our traditions even more than when I was younger. It gives us something to adapt and share with the new ones coming up, and to see that same child excitement I lost as a teenager.