By Staff
I missed it. For some reason with all of the activity that has been going on around town, I totally let the day slip by without a moment of consideration.
Thursday of this past week was Flag Day. I noticed the Lions Club had the flags out on Thursday morning, but for the life of me on Thursday I didn't know that.
What a shame. It's a beautiful piece of fabric with bright colors with crimson, blue and bright white. And in my haste and a slight touch of ignorance, I missed the opportunity to recognize the symbolism of the flag.
As a child I can certainly remember learning some important rules about how to handle a flag. For one thing, and this is what I remember as being the most important, is to never let the flag touch the ground. And, you can't just throw a flag away - it has to be disposed of in a specific manner.
I can remember helping out at the flagpole at school many times during my high school years. It was such a fun thing. For one thing it got me out of trouble if I happened to be late to school. I could always use putting the flag up the pole as a really good excuse for being a little on the tardy side. I did take a certain amount of pride in knowing that the flag was raised each morning and it didn't touch the ground in the process. I did everything in my power to make sure of that.
Anyway, Thursday passed by without any fanfare that I can recall. Not once was there a greeting of &#8220Happy Flag Day” passed along to anyone within earshot. I don't even recall anyone mentioning that the holiday was being observed.
That's another shame. When you think about what our nation's flag stands for, it's really sad that not one person even mentioned the flag on that day.
If you didn't notice the holiday, other than the flags being out on the sidewalks around town, then you probably are just like me: needing a little lesson and a reminder of what the flag is all about.
The American flag contains 13 stripes, which is a symbol of the original 13 colonies. The original flag had 13 stars representing each colony. As new states were added to these United States, a star was added to the blue field. A resolution passed by the United States government, stated that new stars would only be added on July 4 in the year after the new state was added.
I don't think we'll be seeing any new stars for a while. I think we've about taken in as much as we can handle.
I have watched many times at the beginning of events as the flag is raised during or immediately before the playing of the National Anthem. It happens at football games, military services and countless other occasions. It still gives me a lump in my throat to stand in the stadium of a football field, baseball park or race track as the National Anthem is played, all the while holding my hand over my heart.
The pledge of allegiance to the flag is recited at every county commission and city council meeting that I attend. And, for those of you who know me, you'll know that gives me a lump in the throat as well. To stand in a room full of people and recite the pledge in unison is heartwarming for sure.
Those facts alone still put me in a state of confusion as to how I could have let Thursday's holiday pass me without so much as saying the pledge even once.
I'm sorry that all of the hard work Betsy Ross put into the flag went unnoticed by me on Thursday. I'm sorry that those who have died for the right to fly the flag passed me without a salute. I'm sorry that I didn't wish one person &#8220Happy Flag Day” or even acknowledge to others that the day was at hand. I'm sorry. But because I am sorry for my lack of concern, I know that I will make a special point of recognizing the holiday next year.
I think I'll go ahead now and color the date on my calendar a bright red, white and blue.
Lisa Tindell is a news reporter for The Brewton Standard. She can be reached at 867-4876 or by email at lisa.tindell@brewtonstandard.com.