I spent July 4 in Michigan at my sister’s house in Watervliet, Michigan. Festive folks on the other side of the lake put on quite a fireworks display.

Covering 1.23 square miles and populated by fewer than 2,000 residents, Watervliet is a small town located on Paw Paw Lake on the southwest end of the lower peninsula of Michigan. The city name comes from Dutch for “where the waters meet.” It’s an easy two-hour drive from my place.

Our evening started at Local 3. A popular local grill and pub, Local 3 serves a great pizza as well as a full menu of other excellent choices.

Back at the house, armed with our favorite beverages and a few snacks, we settled into our beach chairs and awaited the fireworks. As the sky filled with shooting colors, my nephew’s two youngsters looked on in awe. The adults thought it was pretty cool, too. Of course, it’s always more fun sitting back and letting others put on the show.

Unfortunately, when we watched the news before calling it a night, we heard about the tragedy in Highland Park, Illinois. While that is 30 minutes away from my condo, most northern Chicago suburbs cancelled all celebrations.

It was a bittersweet ride home the next day. I had a wonderful time with my family, but I was terribly sad about the horrific event. Times like these make time with family and friends even more meaningful.

— John Wroblewski, online writer