The explosive red of this Oswego Tea (Monarda didyma) growing in my backyard and the silent twinkling of fireflies at night are the kind of fireworks I (and our cats) like best. Unlike "rockets red glare" and "bombs bursting in air," they are peaceful and quiet, leading me into contemplation of nature's beauty rather than celebration of my nation's military might. I love my country and heartily wish us a very Happy Birthday. The ideals our founders set forth for us are truly worth celebrating. But I also wish that my country's birth had not been achieved by war, thus setting the template for what many Americans consider victorious and heroic. What if we'd never fought the American Revolution, but somehow found a way to peaceably settle our conflicts with our sister-nation, England? Maybe we'd still be under England's heavy thumb and have to live in tyranny like those poor Canadians. Just think of it!
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