Holidays to Remember

I've thought about this all day, knowing I wanted to write something for the 4th of July. But I didn't know what. I love patriotic holidays but they're hard. I love the pool time, BBQ, and fireworks...and the memories. Mostly I love the memories. I think holidays can serve as an axis around which we measure time and growth. Perhaps because we tend to take more pictures on holidays. Maybe because those days are lit up by fireworks, Christmas lights, and jack-o-lanterns. For whatever reason, holidays help us remember.

 

I remember July 2007, I was in New York City for a summer program at Columbia University. They put on a movie night for us, an R-rated movie that I didn't want to watch, so I went to a little gelato shop around the corner. Afterwards, we went to the top of our apartment building to watch the fireworks over the harbor. It was beautiful.

 

July 2012 I found myself eight weeks into my stay at the MTC in Provo. It was normal day until around 7pm when we had a special fireside, ate ice cream bars, and we were allowed to stay out late to watch the fireworks from the Stadium of Fire. I remember being so excited to leave for Texas, sad to leave my wonderful elders, nervous about being a missionary, and enthusiastic about Spanish. And I tucked away the memories and wiped the tears as the flag was presented.

 

Now, two years later, I find myself in a new state, a new home, with many possibilities in front of me. Tomorrow I will have a party with friends to celebrate the 4th. New friends, great friends, possibly some future friends. We are going to grill and I think I'll make Oreo truffles which reminds me of my first year at BYU. And I'll remember all those adventures. We'll play in the pool and dance to music which reminds me of going dancing with Andy. And I'll remember. There is something so beautiful about remembering.