For Flag Day, Nathan was required to write an essay for school, about what the flag meant to him. The teacher then took all of the submissions to the local mall, and entered them in to the local essay contest for adults and children. Since the little guy wasn't so crazy about having to write an essay for school, I agreed to write an essay too, and enter it in the contest. It didn't win of course, but I thought I would post it now for a kind of 4th of July greeting.
What the American Flag Means to Me
I can look upon our nation’s flag, and see the intended meaning behind the colors and shapes used in its form. I can see the meaning in the stripes, representing the rays of the sun, and representing the original thirteen colonies. There are the stars, pointing toward Heaven, reminding us of the new constellation in the sky that was intended by the white stars on the blue field, one nation under God. It reminds us of the fact that we are a fledgling nation; new, young and unique. The colors themselves also have meaning. The red symbolizes valor and hardiness, and serves to remind us of the blood that was spilt, and the lives that were sacrificed, in order to win our independence, and to maintain our freedoms. The white is for innocence and purity, symbolic of the pure ideals in our Constitution, and the hope that this promises for our future. The blue symbolizes justice, vigilance and perseverance, and reminds us that we are strong and we are free, and we will prevail. The concept of the stars and stripes design was inspired by the Washington family coat of arms, which consisted of two red stripes over a white background with stars above it, and it continues to remind us of those initially responsible for our nation’s independence, and the army which originally fought for its existence.
There are all these implied meanings that went into the creation of the flag, and symbol of our land. Yet over time, the flag has grown in meaning. For most of us, the flag stands for freedom, and everything that the Constitution of the United States represents. It means we have the opportunity to reach our own potential.
The flag stands for this beautiful land, filled with mountains and rivers and lakes, prairies and deserts and glaciers. It represents our homes. It represents our way of life. It represents our people; the melting pot of races, religions, and ideals.
Our flag stands for every serviceman that has proudly served his country, and every person who has died defending it. It represents the colonists that gave birth to this dream, and the soldiers today that continue to defend its ideal. It means a country pulling together after 9/11, wearing flag colors, and displaying them on their homes and automobiles. It demonstrated our unity, our dignity, and our ability to pull together. It represents our strength as a people, and our power as a military force, and our ability to overcome.
The flag can represent our humanity, and our practice of stepping forward to help other countries in need. It can represent our belief in the ethical treatment of all people. We have a responsibility to other people and nations, to do what is right, to protect the principals that our country stands for.
We can also look upon our flag as a symbol of success. We know there is a flag flying on the moon, as a symbol of our nation’s success, and creativity, and ingenuity. It represents our pride, our collective ability, and the awareness that we each have the potential to succeed and achieve.
The flag means more to me than a series of colors and shapes that we use to indicate our country. It stands for the American Spirit and our strength, our servicemen and women, and our home. It represents the place and the people that call to our hearts, when we are away from our shores. It represents hope for the future, the opportunity to achieve our dreams, and the belief that how we live is the very best way to live.
Happy 4th of July,
Joni
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