Family and the Fourth

When I was younger, my parents would always take my brother and me out to parades and gatherings on the Fourth of July. We would eat, laugh, and play, while ending our day with some beautiful fireworks. My dad, being an ex-member of the Indian Air Force, would remind us of how fortunate we were to be living with the amount of freedom that we have. At that time, I associated this holiday with family more than anything.

These traditions continued until about the sixth grade, when I decided to spend this holiday with my friends. My parents, though slightly brokenhearted, allowed me to go as they realized their young daughter was growing up. Since then, I can't remember the last time my entire family spent a Fourth of July together. Whether it was due to summer camps, internships (my older brother), or just spending time with our friends, we could never fully spend the holiday together.

Though this blog post might seem somewhat gloomy, I would like to remind you all that there is always a happy ending. Even if my family isn't able to spend every Fourth of July, or just every day physically together, we still do our best to be together. As Frederick Douglass once said:
"Oceans no longer divide, but link nations together." 
With my brother studying in college in California, my family does have some obstacles in staying close. However, just like oceans couldn't stop countries from trading overseas, 2,429 miles can't stop my family from staying in touch. Yes, we can't spend every holiday together. But, we can text in a family group chat, Facetime occasionally, and simply keep each other updated on our lives.

My family:)

Comments

  1. Arlene ChenSeptember 9, 2018 at 7:19 PM

    Wow, Dhatri. I really like how you used a quote from Douglass's speech and transformed it to fit the context of your own blog. It's true that as we grow older, we spend less time with our families and begin to form new ones. However, I'm glad that you've found such an effective way to keep up with your loved ones- effort is everything, and keep doing this- familial love is something that can never be replaced. This made me want to go and hug my family.

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