This great holiday (Call it Independence Day not just the 4th of July) is a very sacred and special one for me. I, for one, understand the many sacrifices that service men over the life of this great country have made on my behalf. My father is a Navy veteran of both World War II and the Korean Conflict. I am very proud of my dad’s honorable service. He instilled in me a healthy respect for this country and the symbols that represent it. The American Flag has always been a sacred and beautiful sight for me. I remember with great pride the days when we opened every day in my California public elementary school with the Pledge to the flag. I still take the pledge seriously, and feel a great sense of pride when speaking it.
I see the flag and I feel the hope of the pilgrims as they start a new life in this new world.
I see the flag and I feel the urgency of the writers of the Declaration of Independence.
I see the flag and I feel the Cold and Hunger of the men at Valley Forge.
I see the flag and I feel the fear and pain of the soldiers fighting for our independence.
I see the flag and I feel the joy at the victory and the gaining of real American Independence and FREEDOM.
I see the flag and I see the faces of many American Men and women who have fought and even died to protect and preserve that independence. I feel love and pride for these dedicated fighters who thought only of the job they had to do and not of self at all.
The picture you see above is from a Soldiers Healing Field flag memorial here in Virginia. Each flag (over 2,800) represents a soldier who has died in this war on Terrorism. If you can walk through those flags and see the names of these brave me and women and not feel pride and yes sadness, something is wrong with you. No matter how you feel about this war of the Presidents decision making in regards to it, there are real lives over there fighting. They are not only fighting to keep us safe and to protect our freedom, but to help give birth to another freedom loving society. That calls for the utmost respect and prayer. I pray for our soldiers daily. They are friends, family, and neighbors. They are real, and they make my pride in this great land even more strong.
I for one will continue to fly my flag in front of my house. I love what it still means and stands for to me and most of America. I will not allow the few extremists to ruin my flag and the Country it flies over. I still follow the long stated flag rules our country has extablished, and treat the flag with great respect. Yes, I know it is just a piece of cloth, but it's more than that. It is a symbol. Many folks don't get that. I think it is partly because we are so cought up with our own selfish wants we don't want to "waste" time on such trivial matters. It is uncomfortable and inconvenient for some to take the time to think through the things I've listed above. Not for me. The flag and what it stands for is real to me and it always will be. My children already feel a very strong respect and love for the flag as well.
Another important point is that the Flag represents America, American citizens, and the American way of life. It does not necesarily represent the government. So, when folks burn or otherwise defile the flag because they hate George W. Bush or the government as a whole, they are really burning the symbol of the entire country and its citizens.
So please take time this Independence to thank God for this country, and to pray and honor the fighting men and women we have over seas. Without the God of our fathers, this country will ultimately fail. Take time to instill respect for our great national symbol in your children. It will soon be theirs to protect and defend.
That’s my 2 cents once again.
As it says in Ecclesiastes, there is "a time to kill, and a time to heal". A picture can at times speak a thousand words, and I beleive the one above does just that. Not because of anything I did in snapping the picture, but because of the young man and the power of his emotions. I saw him at a couple of flags in obvious mourning, and I decided to take this shot in a very descreet manner. It touched me just seeing him there, so I had to share the image with others. What a powerful moment in my life. It is important to remember that these soldiers are real men and women, and not just cold statistics. Each of these 2,800 + flags in this healing field memorial represented a life, a real person. In the demeanor of this young man, I saw love, honor, friendship, pain, morning, and healing. What a statement for these real men and women. They are just like me and you, but with a huge weight of conflict on their shoulders. They fight and protect and yes kill, but there will always be a time for healing. Remember them every day and please pray for these real men and women!
