Your Entry Title A Quiet 4th of July

Your NameKathy Leuck


MediumOil

Your ProfileI am a NC mixed-media-artist who is both passionate about my art and about helping others. Stroke of Patriotism allows me to do both create, and help! It is an honor to use my talents to give back to the community where I live!

The Story Behind My AmericaThis 4th of July was a quieter day than usual spent at a friend’s home. We sat on her back porch and sipped cold lemonade as the cicadas buzzed in the trees in the afternoon heat. We talked about the hopes we have for our country, and the ups and downs of the current political tide. Thinking back on that afternoon, I realized that what was really talking about was our love of our country, and the pride we feel in being American. A few blocks from her home we heard the noises of the parade as the crowd gathered. The firetrucks blasted their sirens, and waves of music drifted through the trees as the high school band members marched down Main Street behind the color guard and flags. I visualized the throngs of people lined up and down that corridor, and children reaching for the candy as the parade passed. I was content to express my patriotism that day in a less demonstrative way; still fierce and real but quieter and more peaceful. Over the summer I have enjoyed several historical novels about the lives of ordinary people in Europe caught in the tragedy and destruction of WW II. The novels have reminded me how fortunate we are to live in freedom, yet how watchful we need to be to protect the freedoms we have.

Contest Category