Flag Day June 14th, 2021
Several years ago, Beltan and I visited our nation’s Capital. As we walked around seeing all the historical monuments (Lincoln’s Memorial, Washington’s Monument, Reflections Pool, Thomas Jefferson’s Memorial, Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Korean War Memorial, Arlington National Cemetery, White House, US Capital, Holocaust Museum, Smithsonian Museum.) Of all the sites we saw the Smithsonian Museum impressed me the most and made me teary eye, was watching the delicate work being done in restoring one of the original 13 colony flags.
The words of our national song written by Frances Scott Key (original lyrics):
“O say can you see, by the dawn's early light, what so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming, whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight, O'er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming? And the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air, Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there; O say does that star-spangled banner yet wave O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?
On the shore dimly seen through the mists of the deep, Where the foe's haughty host in dread silence reposes, What is that which the breeze, o'er the towering steep, As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses? Now it catches the gleam of the morning's first beam, in full glory reflected now shines in the stream: 'Tis the star-spangled banner, O long may it wave O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.
And where is that band who so vauntingly swore. That the havoc of war and the battle's confusion, a home and a country, should leave us no more? Their blood has washed out their foul footsteps' pollution. No refuge could save the hireling and slave from the terror of flight, or the gloom of the grave: And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave, O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.
O thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand. Between their loved homes and the war's desolation. Blest with vict'ry and peace, may the Heav'n rescue land Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation! Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just, and this be our motto: 'In God is our trust.' And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!”
At that very moment, my mind’s eye could see Mister Key looking out of that ships window into the early morning dawn though the haze of the smoke-filled battlefield to see the flag still standing tall and strong after a night of thunderous fighting!
Through the years it has been burned, stepped on but it remains tall and flying high and blowing in the wind.
Today I would like to honor my flag whose stars represent all 50 states, and the 13 stripes represent the 13 colonies that existed when independence was gained from Great Britain in 1776. But most importantly it is a symbol of freedom and the reason why so many brave men and women fight so valiantly for our freedom and so willing offer the ultimate sacrifice.
