Hearing the words Fourth of July conjures images in my mind of glimmering fireworks, backyard barbeques, and family time. I am grateful to live in the United States of America, and despite all that we have seen happening in our country lately, I think that most Americans are still proud of the reasons we celebrate Independence Day. Independence for the United States in 1776, of course, is the origin of our celebration, but I think the idea of independence is not fully understood and appreciated by the public today. America is associated with many important words – freedom, justice, and strength, to name a few, but could it be that the most American word is actually independence?