Independence Day

(7-4-06)

The Fourth of July has always been one of those holidays where I tend to look back on past years and think about where I am and where I've come from. I think this type of reflection started in 1993, when I celebrated the holiday with 1100 young men and women in Colorado Springs on day 4 of Basic Cadet Training. I remember one of the cadre explaining to us that as members of the armed forces we would have to make sacrifices for our country, and that missing out on having a 4th of July picnic with our families was only the first example of this kind of sacrifice. Ever since then, I've always made a point of taking note of where life has taken me, thanking God for the times when I was fortunate enough to spend the day with my family at the lake or watching fireworks while listening to the Boston Pops. Unfortunately, most years it seems like duty (albiet outside the military) prevails, and I find myself in the hospital taking care of trauma victims. Although this was not my first Independence Day outside the USA, it is certainly the most unique holiday I have ever celebrated in the sense that I am currently behind "enemy" lines. Fortunately, I was able to celebrate with some American friends. I got a last minute notification that Greg Sauer would be in town, and I managed to meet up with him (along with Aaron Akins) in London. We ate at an authentic Lebanese restaurant, complete with music, belly dancing, and hookah pipes. The food was probably the best meal I had since arriving in Europe. It was great to have the chance to spend some quality time reliving select scenes from the movie "Swingers" with a couple of Americans who like me were still feeling a little out of place in the big bad world outside America.