July 4th – the Most Meaningful of Holidays!

I was not born in America – I chose to come here! I had little choice as to where I was born. After the Second World War, my parents found themselves in a refugee camp in Lubeck, Germany. I was born there, and a year and a half later, we emigrated to Canada, where I spent my childhood and university years, finishing the University of Toronto Medical School.
To me as an immigrant, July 4th holds a profound and unique significance. It represents the celebration of American independence and the values that this nation was built upon. It is a day that symbolizes freedom, opportunity, and the pursuit of a better life. And how good the United States has been to me!