parade

Thalia counted the boxes of sparklers. “Yup! One for each of us!”

“And you’re going to be careful, right?” Urania nodded up and down in Thalia’s direction. “Last year while you were cartwheeling around the driveway with the flashing, crackling, hot metal sticks you surely gave me a fright.”

“Yes, yes… careful.” Thalia looked up at the red patio umbrella and wondered if it would support her weight. Of course it would! Muses are weightless.

“Are we dressing Henny in a flag bandana for the neighborhood parade? Second annual… you know. It’s good to sow seeds of connection. Let’s see… Rufus, and Addie, and Gracie should be there. I wonder if the Newtons will be out with their fresh and fluffy retriever pup… what’s its name?” asked Calliope.

“Wally,” Urania answered.

“Oh yes! Cute little Wally with an old-fashioned name,” said Calliope. “We’ve seen them all from Diogenes to Terpsichore, Marguerite to White Feather, Dick and Jane… ,”

“Lucille!” Thalia interrupted. “Lucille Ball once said, ‘Love yourself first and everything falls into line. You really have to love yourself to get anything done in this world.’ Isn’t that beautiful?”

“Yes, it is.”Urania said. “For when you love yourself, you make room to love your family, your community, your country, and the whole world. Simple, but not easy.”

“Happy 4th of July!”