Guest: A collaborative way to celebrate July 4

The Fourth of July has always held a special power over me.

I love the hot dogs and burgers and my mother’s delicious potato salad.

Mostly, though, I’ve always cherished the great gatherings of family and friends that culminate with spectacular fireworks displays that light up the dark summer sky.

I knew as a kid that on July 4 we were celebrating our many freedoms, which we earned by gaining inde...