An Ode To America

“Ode To America” By John Carollo

In the Spirit of Thanksgiving, this past weekend marked 50 years since my immigration to America. November 28th 1970-November 28th 2020. They say a photo can tell a story. I want to share this photo with you because it tells a very important story, an immigration story.

Here in America, regardless of who you are or where you are from, we are all immigrants and I hope this picture will bring back memories of your own immigrant roots. It was taken in Torretta, Sicily in 1960. I am Giovanni, the little boy on the bike. To my left is my sister Maria and to my right is my sister Ninetta holding my little brother Calogero.

Eventually in late 1970, (through the system of chain migration), we legally made our way to the United States. Some of us became American citizens as soon as we were eligible. We all went on to marry and have beautiful families of our own and have always lived our lives with a sense of loyalty, appreciation and respect to our beloved adopted country and have always strived to be an asset, not a liability in our respected communities.

Now at the young age of 63, when in the solitude of the night, I sit on my deck listening to a symphony of crickets, smoking a Cuban and drinking adult beverages and I think about the little boy on the bike. I look at my surroundings and think of the beautiful family that my wife Rosemarie and I have created and say, yes we have worked hard for this, but this could only have happened here in America. So thank you America, for you have given me a lot more then I can ever give you back. God Bless the United States of America.

A Post Script by John Allen Murphy

John has spoken for himself about immigrating to America and how much he appreciates it, loves it and is so proud to be an America Citizen who stills loves being of Italian of birth & blood. John cherishes his history as a child growing up in Sicily and adores his family in Sicily who did not choose to immigrate to the USA.

In fact, John remains so proud of the land of his birth that on several occasions he has taken his Non-Italian friends and American-born Italians to the land of his birth, the town in which he was born and raised and his warm and loving family. As a resident or Rockland, many of his cherished friends are persons born and raised in Ireland [including my beloved wife who was born and raised in Northern Ireland before also immigrating to America over 50 years ago], many are Irish Americans and many are folks of Italian blood, but born and raised in America. Of course there are many others John loves also.

The experiences were utterly fascinating to see how much everyone found so much to love each other and each others culture, especially how all are so very family oriented and ethnic roots proud. John Carollo is all about love, love of family & children, love of America and Sicily, love of food and friends.