Preparations have begun as our family starts to plan the Fourth of July festivities. Potatoes are boiling, steaks are marinating, and the buzz in the air is all excitement as the kids anxiously await the fireworks displays.

Holidays for me have always been about family… except this one. Yes, we take advantage of the beautiful weather, spend time with our extended family, cook-out, play games, watch whatever sports the men deem necessary. But this holiday is about more for me. It’s Independence Day.

It seems like a lifetime ago, but it’s only been 8 years. July 4th, 2000 stands out in my mind so clearly, because it was MY independence day. It was my celebration of having broken out of a marriage that had changed me so completely, I was lost in the dark. It was the day I celebrated finding the light again. The day I realized that I was truly free… truly independent.

So while I celebrate with my family, there’s always an added light on this day, Independence Day, as we rejoice in the anniversary of our country’s, and my personal, freedom.

What does Independence Day mean to you?