Jerome G. McCormick, 32°
15000 Tamarind Cay, Apt. 105, Fort Myers, Florida 33908

The Fourth of July is a time for introspection as well as celebration.

Being born on the 4th of July, I am more aware than most of the day's reason for celebration, the obligation we have to our forefathers and to those who gave their lives for our freedom from tyranny. On this day, everybody is in a patriotic mood, which causes me, for one, to be introspective. I always watch the local parades. They generally include the marching school band, twirling drum majorettes, and proud flag bearers prancing to high-stepping rhythms or to a Sousa march. Our local car dealer supplies transportation for the beauty queen and her court. The local scouts with their leaders patrol the outer ranks as sheep dogs would herd stray lambs into the fold.

Then there are speeches, by and for veterans, including the ultimate gun salute and the playing of "Taps" for the deceased servicemen and women. This always brings tears to my eyes in memory not only of the deceased but also of this patriotic time during which we celebrate, for one day, our freedom which is enjoyed year-round. I teased my kids when they were little that this was all for my birthday. Soon they realized that I never went up to the podium to make a speech and no reference was ever made to me. They caught on fast to my ruse.

I was born on my mother's birthday and on my first wife's grandmother's birthday. She was a second generation Scot—very proud and thankful for being brought up in a free country. I always knew what my horoscope was because, while my mother was 25 years older than I, Nanny was 50 years older and seriously believed in her horoscope, so I could always find out what mine was by asking for hers. My entire birthday was enjoyed in patriotic fervor and personal pleasure. Now, however, I tend to reflect more on battlefield cemeteries. I feel sorrow because the markers are for men and women who believed so much in our heritage that they gave their lives for you and me. My tears are also for the families that will never again on this earth be with those loved ones whose lives were cut short.

Now, in the autumn of my life, some of my tears are also for those scouts who do not know how free they are. They do not understand what it means to enjoy the freedoms we have and the price paid for them. So for now, by virtue of those whose cause we celebrate, I will dry my tears and pray that there will be no future time for me to shed them on behalf of those who are in the parade or watching it.

J. G. McCormick is a Certified Management Analyst and a member of the Scottish Rite Valley of Ft. Myers, Florida, and Chaplain of Tropical Lodge No. 56, Fort Myers.