Today is July 4th — Independence Day — in USA. A patriotic and a fun day here. I found that at the Laguna Beach even in the morning at 7:30 people had started putting their umbrellas and towels on the beach in masses. It was already so busy — compared to other days at that time — and many umbrellas were US Flags.
For Naturalized Citizens of USA like me, this is an important day. We have become US citizens for our own reasons, but we still feel as much Indian (or whatever nation we came from) as we felt when we were growing up in India. And yes, we feel as much USA citizen as anybody else. Before I settled in USA and became US citizen, I never thought that you can feel loyal to two countries with more or less same intensity.
As for me, I am leaving on 6th to be in India. So I can continue with my ‘duties’ towards India. I will meet my family and work with several friends in trying to build Seraja and some other companies. It is amazing how the world has changed and we can now do so many things at so many places. What will it do to our sense of patriotism? Can we be patriotic to multiple countries — or is it that we are really being patriotic to humanity? Ultimately the country lines are artificail and are really drawn by socio-political situations sometimes by people who do not have good intentions.
Anyway, let me get back to the fun part of July 4th and go back to meet friends, participate in barbeques and enjoy fireworks.