Editor’s note: We asked readers to share their thoughts about the Fourth of July in the form of letters, short essays or poems. Here are your responses.
No place like home
July Fourth means a lot of things to different people. For many, it means fireworks, a picnic and an overall day of fun.
People don’t think much about how the holiday began. It started with the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776.
Thinking about how we got our independence from England 233 years ago, I feel really lucky, because some countries got independence only very recently.
The start of our country was the first colony in Jamestown, Va., and from that came the 13 colonies. Then we fought the Revolutionary War and our country became independent.
The Civil War threatened to split us into two. But we pulled through, and our country survived. I think we are celebrating our independence and all our history on July Fourth.
My favorite part of the Independence Day celebrations is the fireworks. We usually watch them from the roof of the Eisenhower parking lot. But sometimes we watch them from other places. One year, we waited and waited for the fireworks to start, and we finally gave up and started to drive home. On the way, we started to see the fireworks lighting up the sky. We stopped the car in front of the skating rink and admired the show from there.
We had a wonderful view.
We always spend July Fourth in State College. I can’t remember any year when I haven’t been here. And I don’t want to go anywhere else on July Fourth.
This year we had been thinking of going on a trip to Pittsburgh and watching a boat race and fireworks. We even thought we may go to Washington D.C. I have to admit that may have been fun but I really didn’t want to go. I really wanted to see the fireworks here.
I think July Fourth is all about celebrating how lucky we are to be independent. To me, July Fourth celebrates our nation. It celebrates everything the country has been through, from the Revolution to the Civil War to Sept. 11, 2001, to now. And more things keep getting added on to that list. It celebrates the people, the land, the struggles and the power of our nation. It celebrates us.
That is what Independence Day means to me.
Mahima Kumara, age 10
State College
Born on the 4th of July
I was born on the Fourth of July so I have been able to reflect on its meaning every year on my birthday.
The holiday usually means barbecues, fireworks and baseball. And for me those three things have been ever present every year. But they are not what is most important to me.
For me, the Fourth of July has always meant two singularly important concepts. The first is my family. They have been the center of my life from the day I was born. A strong, loving, slightly (OK, more than slightly) loony group of people with whom I can be myself, speak my mind and cherish our times together.
Their love and support are a pillar of my existence, a pillar matched only by my personal belief in the ideals of July Fourth in America. July Fourth reminds me and should remind all Americans about their basic freedoms and rights — civil liberties, human justices and core principles of equality, which we all, unfortunately, too often take for granted.
On July Fourth, spend the day like this birthday girl with your loony family and remember, be fore we lose it all, how much you enjoy being an American. It means you have your independence and should support others who desire to enjoy theirs.
Jackie Esposito
State College
Freedom is a gift
I recently returned from a trip to the Mideast and Europe, the latest of a few trips that started with my military time in Germany during the Vietnam years. Each visit evokes a reminder of how blessed we are to live in America and to be American citizens.
On my most recent trip I visited Cairo, Egypt, one of the most polluted cities in the world, where we were advised not to drink the water. We visited the pyramids, where we saw piles of trash that obviously had been there for some time — all this in a country whose income greatly depends on the tourist dollar.
A member of our party had an eye problem that was dealt with temporarily in Israel, with a quick return to the States, because health care in our next stop, Turkey, was not adequate to handle this problem. A national museum in Turkey was in a dilapidated building not suited to protect its historical treasures. Although much was up to modern standards in the tourist areas we visited, we were reminded again and again how lucky we are.
I am reminded lately by the sham of an election in Iran of our most important gift: freedom. We are free to assemble and protest against injustices without fear that we will be beaten, tortured, killed or taken away to never be seen again. We may say virtually anything about our government without fear of reprisals, and we truly have choices on election day.
These freedoms are not without price, so remember to say thank you to those who protect and keep us safe every day and thank God for those who have given their lives so we may enjoy them.
David D. Flick
State College
We stand together
Fourth of July is my favorite holiday, because no matter what type of American or an immigrant you are — white, black, man, woman, child, Indian, Asian, Hispanic — we all come together to celebrate.
We have been living in this country several years now, and as time has passed we have learned to love America more.
At our house, celebrations start early as my daughter celebrates her birthday on the second of July. Friends come over, we will have birthday-party fun and we celebrate July Fourth with our friends doing all children’s activities and viewing the most spectacular fireworks!
On the whole, we have the most fun-filled holiday of the year.
In the midst of all this fun, we pause to remember all the individuals who risked so much to create a new country and provide home for so many.
Happy Independence Day!
Shailaja Hegde
University Park
Something to celebrate
Not only is this our country’s birthday and a day of patriotic pride and celebration, July Fourth is a day for celebration among our family.
Our family reunion is of the descendants of Arrista and Mary Bowers Lucas. Because she was born July 5, 1848, the decision was made to have a family gathering on the Saturday closest to her birth date. These reunions started in 1931, so she was alive for the first four gatherings. This is the 73rd gathering of the clan because a few years were missed during World War II.
Family and friends from far and near gather in Bush Hollow (only a few miles from the homestead) to reconnect, to visit with relatives (many not seen since the last reunion), to meet new family members and to eat.
This year the gathering will be on July Fourth so we can celebrate the birthdays of our ancestor and of our country.
Doris Spotts Jodon
Belleville
Sights, sounds and pride
The Fourth of July means picnics and swimming and red checkered tablecloths and watermelon-seed-spitting contests. It’s about family and friends getting together sharing stories of the past, Pappy’s tall tales about Bigfoot and Aunt Sal sitting in potato salad.
It’s the first bite of Nanny’s banana split dessert and the smell of Grammy’s pies and grilling burgers and hot dogs that makes my mouth water as it teases my nose.
It’s the one day that we all stand up together and say, “I am proud to be an American!” as children run past with Uncle Sam hats and sparklers in each hand. The feeling of gathering together, united as one, gives me a proud joy to live in America.
It’s catching fireflies on the grassy hill where we watch the fireworks. And then how the night sky lights up with showers of blue, gold and crimson as one firework blows into the sky, far out of my reach, and burns to nothing but hot coals; and a second goes up followed by another and another until there are no more left.
It’s the sound of the whistles and thunder claps of the fireworks and the cheers and the applause of the delighted crowd.
By the time we say our goodnights, we’re all full and tired from the day’s events and go home to sleep off the day’s excesses. But the memories stay with us forever as a Fourth of July to remember.
Angelica Emel, age 13
Spring Mills
Independence for all
What the Fourth of July means to me is that it is all about our independence and freedom. I am proud of all the people who fought for us to have freedom.
The word independence means that I am allowed to do the things I want.
Last but not least are the fireworks at the Bryce Jordan Center. They represent the freedom and independence that we have. They are also awesome to see! I am proud to live in the United States.
Gabbie Pighetti, age 9
Howard
Red, white and blue
Fourth of July means a lot to my husband and me because we got married on this day 17 years ago. We also have our flag out at every season and have decor of red, white and blue in our house. It’s always been a tradition to go to see the fireworks at State College with our three kids, doing sparklers at home and having a camp fire, which is a lot of fun. We can’t wait to celebrate this weekend! Hope everyone has a fun and safe holiday. Love USA! Happy Fourth of July to you all.
Scott and Stephanie Glossner
Howard
All men are created equal
Is there a more beautiful sentence in the English language than the one that begins “We hold these truths to be self evident”?
The words are sacred and simple, the depth of their meaning so profound yet easy to grasp.
We have held the message up for the world to see. And the world has taken notice.
When we ask, “why do they come to America?” that sentence holds your answer.
“All men are created equal,” and from those five words all else flows.
What forces conspired to bring men and moment together in 1776 to craft the belief of the new nation?
A belief so noble and true that it would endure challenges and tests throughout our history yet always stand correctly when the shouting was done.
How fortunate for us all that those brave men met in Philadelphia to declare America’s birth and say to the world, “this we believe.”
The Founders saw the danger in a king’s autocratic rule.
They recognized that our rights are granted not by a majority at the ballot box but by God.
And they understood what we all are entitled to simply by our humanity ... life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
Family and fireworks. Picnics and parades. Yes, these all are part of our historic, happy birthday. But as citizens we must do more than celebrate one day in July. We must embrace the words daily, that our Founders gave us: “All men are created equal.”
We must never betray that belief by giving in to fear or voices that speak of exceptions to that equality.
If we do not fight to ensure that belief, if we do not hold strong to those words that define us, the beautiful sentence is just hollow phrases that only some of us still hold.
God Bless America.
Joseph Torrell
Bellefonte
In Print
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