Above / July 4, 1994, was a fun time to “See no evil, hear no evil and speak no evil” while celebrating Independence Day with my Dad, Mom and cousins at Aunt Frannie’s lake house. Back then, Ribfest at Knoch Park usually attracted our family’s attendance for at least one day. Yet, in the mid-1990s, fireworks repeatedly shot off from a pontoon floating on Lake Freeman near Indiana Beach were a good match for spectacular fireworks blasted from the Garden Plots in Naperville.
For several years after we moved to Naperville in 1993, we spent Independence Day with my Aunt Frannie, my mother’s sister, at her summer house on Lake Freeman near Indiana Beach. My folks lived in Muncie, so it was the perfect “half-way-in-between” place to meet for many family reunions. Fireworks shot off from pontoons were spectacular!
One year while sitting on the beach waiting for the fireworks to start, somebody asked a silly question that sent Dad, Mom and Aunt Frannie into a portrayal of the classic “Three Wise Monkeys,” representing the proverbial saying, “See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil.”
Fortunately, I had my camera for a quick shot. That photo is framed and forever present on one of our bookshelves. I see it every day.
According to the Oxford University Press, “The Wise Monkeys originated in Japan, where they have been known since the 16th century; statues of them are set at crossroads in honour of Koshin, the God of Roads, whose attendants they are. There, their slogan is Mi-zaru, kika-zaru, iwa-zaru, ‘No seeing, no hearing, no speaking’, with a pun on saru, Japanese for ‘Monkey’, and it is used seriously to teach prudence and purity.”
Small statuettes of three monkeys (one covering his eyes, another his ears, and another his mouth) are reported to have been popular in Britain since the 1900s. Images of the trio were considered to be lucky charms, carried by soldiers during World War I. These days the statues are usually tucked away in antique malls among memorabilia and other treasures.
Naperville’s “Shop Local” initiative back during the July 2018 used a “Three Wise Monkeys” statue to help promote the “Where’s Waldo” campaign in the good old summertime. (PN File Photo)
Every day as I grow older, I’m reminded of my good fortune to have a family photo that depicts such fun-loving wit and wisdom, a sentimental reminder of great conversations and well-attended family reunions from one holiday to the next.
Fast forward to 2022 four years ago
For a week just before Independence Day in 2022, we found great joy in taking care of our 4-year-old granddaughter while her parents vacationed with four other couples, all friends since high school.
Mariko enjoys being silly, a habit she continues today by describing so much in her world as “amazing.” She would have enjoyed making her great-grandfather laugh.
“Please take my picture, Grandma,” she’d say. “Let me see it, Grandma,” she’d request.
After downloading dozens of digitals, I thought of my folks, both now past, as I went through the photos of Mariko, imagining her gestures depicted “See no evil (Mizaru), hear no evil (Kikazaru) and speak no evil (Iwazaru).”
See no evil (Mizaru).
Hear no evil (Kikazaru).Speak no evil (Iwazaru).
And you might say I have three fond memories of the the Fourth of July and thoughts to grow on.
See no evil. Hear no evil. Speak no evil.
Life is not perfect, but there are many perfect moments in this land we call home, especially on the Independence Day.
Thanks to all individuals who have responded to serve in ways that help keep us safe. Let there be peace.
Stay hydrated & safe for Independence Day Fireworks on July 4, 2026
Looking for the annual fireworks display hosted by the City of Naperville and Naperville Park District? They’re set to begin at dusk at Frontier Park, just south of 95th Street.
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