When I was a kid, my parents took my brother and me to Washington D.C. for Independence Day. While there were many places that we went to, one of the two that I remember the most is the Washington Memorial. Being a smaller kid, I was astounded with the size of the memorial, since I had previously only seen it in pictures. We sat at the foot of this monument and watched the fireworks, and seeing it lit up at night is still one of my most vivid memories, nearly 15 years later. After this trip to Washington, all the places that I saw gave me a new respect for our country, and all the work that went into making it the country that it is today. For better or for worse, I get to live in the freest country in the world, and I’m thankful to be a part of it.