What Does America’s Birthday Mean To You?

What would you do after being laid off as a teacher? I took a trip around the world.

Having just recently returned from a year-long adventure, I submitted my view of what America meant to me to the Minneapolis Star and Tribune, now the StarTribune. It was 1983. To my surprise, they published my submission.

It had been an eventful year. I still re-live the euphoria of sitting atop the Great Pyramid of Giza, listening to a male lion sniff me while I lay petrified in my little tent in the Kenyan wilds, being confronted by Syrian rebels (same rebels currently fighting the Assad regime) in the middle of a bus station jammed with travelers, and joining the first independent travelers exploring communist China.

There were tough times too. I lost more than 30 pounds, primarily due to a susceptibility to food poisoning, and a serious case of giardia dragged on for months. News of a close friend’s car accident reached me by cablegram two weeks after her death.

Returning to Minnesota to find the Star and Tribune’s call for submissions about America’s independence was timely. My appreciation for the USA had grown significantly during my year away and I wanted to share my learnings about the world.

I pull out and read the news clipping below every year on the Fourth of July. Although the world is very different today and our country has many challenges, my appreciation for being an American has never changed.

Happy Birthday, America!