07.08.09
Innsbrook Independence
Every once in a while I get a ration of trouble from someone about working for an elitist, gated community.
My comeback is always, “everyone is welcome in, we just have to know who’s here in order to keep unattended second homes safe”.
Usually that gets and eye roll and that’s the end of the conversation. But I always want to shamke the person and say, “no…you really don’t know how wonderful the people in this community are”.
Innsbrook people will do anything for you and always want take part in what’s going on. They are an adventuresome, social and easy-going bunch. And more than anything, they seem to love to see and do. They also are not easily discouraged as we saw this Independence Day.
Every year Innsbrook celebrates Independence Day with one of the largest fireworks shows in the Midwest and the entire cost of the show is donated by Innsbrook Property Owners and vendors. And there are always about 10,000 people out to watch the display over Lake Aspen.
This year, as the moment was arriving for the first shells to be fired in conjunction with the Star Spangled Banner, the clouds absolutely opened up.
This was not just a sprinkle, it was a gully washer. The rain kept up for about 20 minutes and torrents of water flowed down the hillside, over Lionshead beach and into the lake.
Most folks were prepared for the weather and didn’t leave their lawn chairs. Others ran for cover beneath hospitality tents or with neighbors. Others retreated to their cars to wait out the storm.
During the storm I watched the American Flag across the lake in the fireworks field. It was clearly visible in the flashes of lightning and between waves of rain. I found myself wondering if maybe that’s how Francis Scott Key felt as he sat on the ship in Baltimore Harbor, looking at Fort McHenry, with the “bombs bursting in air, giving proof through the night that our flag was still there”. I could imagine him hoping to see the flag, but I also could imagine that he was resolved to see the flag, almost willing it. We Americans are good at that — willing our way to success. Even in days when people believe Americans have lost their resolve, it still seems to show up when needed.
When the rain was finished, the announcement went out that the show would go on and there was a huge cheer from the crowd.
The opening bars of the Star Spangled Banner rang out across the lake and the soaked crowd stood as one, to salute a symbol that stands for the “home of the free and the brave” today due to the resolution of so many.
The following pyrotechnic display was the best I ever saw. We didn’t need a rainbow to follow that thunderstorm — we created our own rainbow with it’s own thunder. And it didn’t hurt that the retreating storm echoed the aerial blasts with flashes of lightning in the distance.
Following the display, the crowd gave the loudest applause I have ever heard at an Innsbrook Fireworks show.
As the crowd started back to their cars, I heard one soaking wet little boy say with a huge smile on his face, “this was the most awesome night ever”.
I heard later, a lot of the surrounding cities cancelled their shows or moved them to Sunday. But as I thought about Francis Scott Key, and the little boy who stuck it out and had ”the most awesome night ever”, I came to the conclusion that a little resolve definitely has its rewards.