What Freedom Means To Me.

Freedom is to be born (legally) and raised in these great United States.  Although, I spent the first 13 years of my life in my native land Italy where I lived the idyllic life of a small country village, I cherish my life here in America because the United States is truly the land of freedom and opportunity for all.  America has afforded me the life that I would never have had had I remained in my native country, Sicily.

This 4^th of July is particularly special for me because it marks the 50^th anniversary of my coming to America and what an appropriate time to celebrate Independence Day, the day when this country we all love freed itself from the reins of the English’s throne. 

This 4^th of July, when I think of freedom, I reminisce of the day I arrived in the great harbor of New York City on a cold winter February day.  It was and still remains a day that I’ll never forget because living in these United States for the last five decades has been special.

 I was only six years old the first time I heard my father speak of America; it was the land of great opportunity he said and yes, that is the way he felt about this country so many years ago.  My father spoke kindly about the United States especially the city of Philadelphia, my mother’s birthplace.  In those days, that was the way Italians and most Europeans viewed this country; the land of honey with streets lined with gold.  My father in particular believed that with hard work and proper diligence, in America one could reach the sky and achieve a standard of living unequal in many European countries at that time.

Today, after so many 4^th of July celebrations I cannot help thinking how different my life would have been had I never come to America.  But to me, each 4^th of July celebration has a deeper meaning.  Living in Delaware County, Pennsylvania where I have lived for the past 45 years, I have achieved a level of happiness that I cannot put into words.  It is a privilege to be an American because this country is truly, “The land of Honey and the land of plenty.”

But while we rejoice on our good fortune, we must never forget that even today as we begin to celebrate another 4^th of July, American men and women are fighting for the cause of freedom in distant lands sacrificing themselves so that we can continue to live free.

As an immigrant, I am particularly thankful and I can with verity that the United States of America is the best hope for mankind on earth.  I can say what I am saying because I know first hand what it means to be free in a country devoid of infringements and restrictions. 

Yes, I have been lucky to have the opportunity to live in such a nice place.

More importantly, I thank God that even today while each one of us enjoys the fruits of freedom here at home, others are fighting hard in the struggle for our continued liberty and the freedom for future generations of Americans.