Stories of Freedom

As fireworks light the sky and the flags wave proudly on the Fourth of July, we’re reminded of the big story—the story of America. But this Independence Day, let me invite you to think about the smaller stories too. The personal ones. The ones passed down over family dinners, through weathered photo albums, or in the memories of those who lived them.

The American story isn’t just written in history books. It’s written in your life.

Maybe your grandfather served in the war. Maybe your mother marched for civil rights. Maybe you immigrated here with a suitcase and a dream. Maybe your family built a business from the ground up, or raised children who would go on to teach, heal, or lead. Those are the stories that make up the soul of this country.

They, and the people who lived them, deserve to be remembered.

On a holiday that celebrates freedom, we reflect on how each generation has sought it—sometimes in grand, public ways, and sometimes in quiet, personal ones. The freedom to speak your truth. The freedom to live authentically. The freedom to grow, to change, to start over. Those stories matter.

A legacy video is one of the most powerful ways to honor that idea. It doesn’t just preserve your history—it captures your voice, your values, and your unique place in the American journey. Whether you were born here or came here later in life, your story adds richness to the evolving story of this nation.

When families commission legacy videos around this time of year, we often hear stories of service, sacrifice, and strength. Stories of families overcoming hardship. Of people finding hope after loss. Of traditions brought from another country and adapted to a new land. Each one is a thread in the larger fabric of freedom.

And for younger generations, these stories do more than entertain—they ground. They give perspective. My clients recreate versions of our country that younger generations will never know. They show how resilience and courage are more than just words, they’re necessities in life and the reason that those younger generations are here at all.

So as you gather this Fourth of July—around the dinner table, in the lawn watching fireworks, or on a phone call with loved ones—consider what freedom means in your family’s story. Who fought for it? Who sacrificed for it? Who redefined it?

And then, ask this: Who will remember it?

To me, legacy videos are more than heirlooms—they’re history, preserved at the granular level. Personal accounts of grit and sacrifice and love. And when you share your story, you ensure that your truth becomes your family’s truth, something much larger.

This Independence Day, let’s celebrate our freedoms by seeking the stories behind them—from the people who may have had to fight for them.