I don’t know that we’re suddenly more patriotic or contemplative of our freedoms, though perhaps we are both after 9/11 and amid wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. At the very least, I do think we have more people seeking a greater sense of community. The Triangle has hundreds of thousands of newcomers who no doubt want to belong. And I think parents, whether newcomers or natives, want their children to have chances to socialize. TV, the Internet and video games are great entertainment, but they can be solitary devices.

Whatever the reason, for those wishing to celebrate the Fourth in the company of others, Johnston County had plenty to offer this past weekend. Fireworks flew as far north as Kenly and as far south as Benson. Personally, my daughter and I dropped in on one of the county’s oldest continuous celebrations — the kiddie parade in Smithfield. In the parade, children adorn their bikes, scooters and battery-powered four-wheelers with everything red, white and blue, and then they cruise around the neighborhood, a shiny Smithfield fire truck leading the way.

It was, to be sure, a celebration of the Fourth, but it was also a celebration of community, which is a great thing to witness and be a part of.