Oh aren't I patriotic?

I know I'm so late! Well just a day, but the past weekend I had no access to a computer. (Trust me, it was social death.) So for my 4th of July post I wrote a short story, well not specifically for the 4th, but it was written. So here it is and a picture. Enjoy! Hope your holiday weekend was great!

I sat on my kitchen counter on the morning of the Fourth of July. I looked out the window, while listening to my grandmother sing the National Anthem. She was cooking American Flag cookies for the festivities later this night.
“Grandma, you really love this holiday, don’t you?” I asked.
“Actually Bella, I do love this holiday!” She exclaimed.
I couldn’t yet comprehend why my grandmother loved it so much.
“Honestly, what’s so special about this holiday anyway?”
“Bella! How dare you say that, do you know what this holiday is about?”
“No, not really.”
“Well I think I better show you something.”
Grandma went upstairs and came down with a little booklet.
“Your father wrote this book before he died,” she said “I think you better read this before the fireworks tonight.”
I wasn’t thrilled about the reading but I was thrilled that it was my father’s. A father’s who has been out of my life for over a year now.
I went outside on the porch since it was such a gorgeous day out and I started my reading. I opened the book and the first page had just a saying, “America Land of the Free and Home of the Brave.” Slowly, the book told me the history and awe of this country. As I began to read, it all started out with the Pilgrims who risked may thing so that this country would have a good platform to be built off of. Then came the Revolutionary War. I was astounded at how much the colonists did so that this could be an independent country. They fought until the day they died so that we could now have the lives we have could now have the lives we have today. They created this country out of the little that they had and made it become one of the most inspirational and influential places; The United Sates of America.
Reading this didn’t feel like reading, it felt as if I was a time traveler passing through our country’s history. Throughout the book, people fought and succeeded to end discrimination against different skin colors and races. Brave women fought to receive the right to vote. Religious freedom was granted and now everyone can freely celebrate his or her faith. My father also wrote about the brave inventors who dared to ask questions and made life changing medical and mechanical advances, such a disease cures and planes. I realized that this country is amazing. The freedoms I have that many countries do not and the history that not one country can even compete with.
This book made me realize how lucky I am to live in this country and made me ask so many questions. Where would we be without those brave people who came before? Just imagine. Their courage and honor pushed them to create a country that cannot be explained in just words. I get the chance to live this privileged life of freedom and choices because American gave birth to some of the bravest people of all time. Those brave people are also still continuing to come. The mighty men and women in the United States Armed forces fight every day so we can be safe in our homes. While reading this part of the book, several tears fell from my eyes because my father gave his life in the Armed Forces so that we would all be safe at home. Not a million “thank you’s” could express my gratitude towards all the brave who came before and all that are continuing to come.
I dropped the book, stood up straight and tall, and screamed, “I am and American and I’m proud!” I ran upstairs, grabbed my American flag pin and pinned it on my shirt. I ran down the road to the beach where the sun was setting. I found my Grandmother lying in the sand holding an American flag. I ran and sat next to her.
I whispered, “I finally know why you love this holiday so much.”
No one said another word. We just stared at the American Flag in her hand and gazed at the fireworks as well. When it was all finished, my Grandmother handed me a necklace, “Your father wanted me to give you this, today was the perfect day to do it.” I looked at the necklace, on the back of the golden star pendant it said, “America Land of the Free and Home of the Brave.”