The Fourth of July

Its the Fourth of July and I have to ponder awhile on something I recently heard. Fireworks, firecrackers, bottle rockets and all the other sundry items that will be going boom with the addition of force or fire this holiday are things, well, we take for granted. My neighborhood has had three fireworks booths set up now for at least two weeks, for all of those who want to purchase fireworks. Today of course they are announcing if you buy one you get one free. What surprised me and came to my attention recently was the fact that each and every one of these fireworks are still made by hand in China. Isn't it strange to think that someone across the world worked for days filling the paper cartridges that will be ignited and exploded for our national celebration tonight? The thought humbles me for some reason, perhaps because it shows how interconnected we are all, whether we want to realize it or not. How someone else worked so hard for a moment we might easily forget. Rather poignant isn't it?