I come from a family of Serbian immigrants who defected to America in 1971 to escape Communism and the oppression of President Tito. Independence Day is a day that we give thanks for the freedom and life that America has given my Grandparents, Great Grandparents, Father, Uncles, Great Aunts and Uncles, and Cousins.
My Grandparents became “natural” United States Citizens on July 2, 1986. To celebrate, my parents threw a family reunion party on July 4th, 1986. This party really showed me how lucky much being an American meant to my family and created memories that I still talk and laugh about today.
Independence Day is about fireworks, barbeques, and apple pie to most American families. Independence Day, 1986, was a celebration of my family's freedom and no expense was spared. My father had roasted a goat for dinner, a far cry from hot dogs but it is a royal Serbian meal. My grandmother had brought homemade pastries and my grandfather his homemade Serbian moonshine. Our whole family was there: laughing, reminiscing about the “old country”, and sharing war stories about the battles fought at home. All the kids were playing with sparklers and matches while the adults were getting drunk on my grandfathers booze.
Night was starting to fall and excitement was building for the park districts fireworks display that we could watch from our house. While we were waiting, my father had decided to play with some illegal fireworks. He got his hands on an M80; I found out later that is equivalent to a half a stick of dynamite. He lit it and threw it, right into my mother's tomato plants. It looked like a land mine had just exploded. There was dirt and blown up tomatoes everywhere. We all roared with laughter, except for my mother who was mad about her plants for a second. Then she couldn't help but laugh right along with everyone else.
Shortly after the explosion, the fireworks began and my whole family sat in silence watching the fireworks that danced so magically with the classical music that was playing in the background. For the finale, the Star Spangled Banner started playing in the background and the whole sky was alive with red, white, and blue flashes of light. I looked over at my grandmother and there was a single tear rolling down her cheek. She was finally an official part of a country she dearly loved, and in that moment, I realized how much America truly meant to her.
That single tear of freedom is a memory that will stay with me forever and taught me what America is really about.
