REFLECTING OM MY 48TH FOURTH OF JULY IN AMERICA
It was wonderful to see Americans showing their pride and participating in the Fourth of July celebrations across the U.S.A. and around the world.
Each day, every Fourth of July, gives me pause to reflect on my life-journey, people that I have met, the blessings that I have enjoyed since the nightmare of the Partition of India, and the prayers that have been answered.
Thoughts and reflections of another Fourth of July filled my spirit with gratitude.
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| A Great American symbol: The Amazing Statue of Liberty |
The Statue of Liberty evokes an image of welcome, freedom, and arrival into the land of unimagined dreams; where the impossible is possible and the sky is the limit when hard work, imagination, and daring come together. Poets, artists, and photographers have tried to capture the promise of what the Statue of Liberty symbolizes and proclaims.
Each Fourth of July, and this year is my 48th Fourth of July in the U.S., the Statue of Liberty takes on a new meaning, not just for Americans, but for people around the world yearning to be a part of the experience that is the United States of America - a nation that offers hope, fascination, and limitless possibilities to all mankind.
I imagined that the millions among us may be the generations of those whom Guru Nanak Devjee blessed some five centuries earlier in a village in the Punjab: "Ujjurh Jaaou ..." May be Guru Nanak was envisioning and praying for a future that the people with daring hearts and trailblazing spirit should scatter to the ends of the earth. They will put their talents to their fullest potential and learning about people in other lands and cultures will spread and share goodwill. They will embrace and offer testimony of values that inspire, enrich, and advance humanity.
Tonight, I saw America as a manifestation of such a hopeful dream and prayer. It was incredible and overwhelming to witness the frontiers that humanity has crossed, what Sikhs in America and around the world have imagined and created to serve humanity since the prophetic blessing of Guru Nanak.
The sparkling and dancing colorful patterns created by the spectacular fireworks (shows in Washington, D.C., New York, and Boston) across the America's spacious skies during the Fourth of July celebrations reflect the spirit and rewrite the promise that is America. I imagined the destinies of people from all corners of the earth intersecting across this blessed land and creating undreamed-of possibilities and experiences unlike any other place on this planet. Much like the dazzling fireworks, my spirit and I am sure of millions of Americans danced with joy and thanksgiving.
A Happy Fourth of July to everyone.
KP Singh
Indianapolis, Indiana USA
www.KPSinghDesigns.com
