Why we oooh and aaah on the Fourth of July

It’s been way too long since I lit a sparkler as the sun goes down on the Fourth of July.

I’ve enjoyed many daylong celebrations with friends and family on the Fourth in many different ways, but they usually end with a gathering on a hill or a parking lot where we have an excellent view of the fireworks staged by one of several local communities.

When I was a kid, we usually went to the parking lot at South Hills Village mall in Bethel Park.