It’s time to camp in the great outdoors!

Our celebrated 4th of July heritage has brought families together now for 250 years of all things that Independence embodies: coming together for parades, family reunions and the infamous annual trip to the camp grounds. Getting ready, packing the necessities to live outside like our ancestors; our indigenous people. In Michigan, that means the wooded and water environs. Many local motels, hotels where you can park your car outside the door; because you are on the move, thank you Henry Ford, are full.

Aunts and uncles and grandparents welcome everyone ‘home’ for the summer. Tents are set up, food is stored securely and the proverbial “safety rules” are given; after all, this is the “wilds” and we want to come back!

Swimming, boating, waterskiing, hikes to find unseen and really cool bugs under fallen logs, birds abound, and precious wild flowers dot the trails.

Dinner of the likes that our founding families ate and deserts of S’mores; but the ‘coup de gras’ was the long awaited campfire.

Ah the stories, scary and funny ones, all told by and heard by the firelight reflected on our faces! Pure and unequivocal joy!

When the fires become embers, we turn our faces to the star filled night sky. Here is where I learned the Big Dipper, Cassiopeia and the Milky Way-and opening a whole world of questions and curiosities to take back to school. Yes, these are cherished memories that everyone recalls of state and federal parks across America.

As we grow older and can see that literally millions of people throughout this world we call Earth are doing the very same family discoveries; it should bring home how truly connected all cultures are. We the People, this land is Our Land.

Margaret Kutzera

Harrisville