If you missed Memorial Day, you have another shot at it. And with all that has been going on, between restrictions and protests, it was easy to lose our identity. But we have a chance coming up on Flag Day to salute Old Glory, as our nation’s flag is affectionately called. Very often, I used to walk by those waving stars and stripes without giving them a second thought. Sometimes, I would see the red, white and blue in the background of a photograph or a painting. In fact, there is a flag right outside my house. But I had forgotten how much I took it for granted; after all, life is busy and we seem to always be in a hurry or running late.
However, on Flag Day, June 14, we will honor one of the most prestigious gifts in our life – the American flag. And today, it takes on a more heightened meaning and symbolization, as the world around us is fraught with danger and uncertainty. We turn to it for comfort when we most need it, but also take it for granted.
The roots of this Old Glory that we’ve lived and died for came from the Second Continental Congress in 1777 that approved the design for our national flag. It said, “Resolved that the Flag of the United States shall be thirteen stripes, alternate red and white; that the Union be thirteen stars, white on a blue field, representing a new constellation.” The current flag dates to 1960 after Hawaii became the 50th state.
Flag Day is not an official holiday; it is at the president’s discretion to officially proclaim the observance. President Wilson issued a presidential proclamation establishing Flag Day on June 14.
I’m old-fashioned when it comes to the flag. We always had a healthy respect in our house for this seemingly simple piece of cloth that summed up a lot in terms of the meaning of our values. Of course, those values can change, mature or just plain falter, but the flag is fundamental to our foundation and roots. We all grew up with it.
Every summer, we would salute the crisp symbol of our democratic fortune as it was carried in parades, flown on porches and placed in cemeteries. We wore it on our sleeve, sewn on as a reminder of what came first in our hearts. The flag was part of our family, after all. And we were proud of it in many ways, especially through our military, which has planted the American flag in our many battles.
Yes, I am often reminded of the poem by Father Dennis O’Brien:
It is the soldier, not the poet, who has given us freedom of speech
It is the soldier, not the campus organizer, who gives us freedom to demonstrate
It is the soldier, not the reporter, who has given us freedom of the press
It is the soldier, who salutes the flag
Who serves beneath the flag
And whose coffin is draped by the flag
Who allows the protester to burn the flag.
Let’s not forget the grand old flag that flies over so many buildings, has led us into battle and stands guard over so many of our fallen countrymen. This flag for some of us stands for peace, justice, honor, truth and freedom.
Yes, there is the other part it plays. We’ve had our complaints about life and place the blame squarely on its shoulders. But let us celebrate Flag Day, June 14, and put aside our troubles to celebrate what brought us here in the first place. Proudly enjoy it.
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Nancy Katz has a degree in creative writing and is the author of the book, "Notes from the Beach." She has written the column Around Town for the Cape Gazette for twenty years. Her style is satirical and deals with all aspects of living in a resort area on Delmarva.
