Stars and Stripes

No flag flies higher. No symbol more recognizable. No one thing can emit more emotion, more patriotism more pride in us all, than the American Flag and the song that accompanies it at all sporting events in this country. 

It gives me moosebumps (as my children call them) each and every time I step foot in The Big House and witness 110,000+ people around me saluting the flag and singing the National Anthem.  At that moment in time we are all united.  We all have that feeling of pride. We are all cheering for the same team. USA. And then, if we're really lucky, there'll be a flyover of some sort, just in case the adrenaline isn't pumping quite enough yet. I've seen many a flyover in my afternoons and evenings at The Big House and they are all chill-provoking experiences in their own way.

When I see that flag and hear that song, it's more than that for me.  I feel a deep sense of gratitude for the soldiers, but I also reflect on their families.  The moms and dads. The brothers and sisters. The husbands and wives. The sons and the daughters.  I cannot fathom how incredibly difficult it must be to say that kind of goodbye, yet still feel an indescribable amount of pride. I don't have to look too far to find people in my life that know that kind of goodbye.  My mom and dad did it, more than once.  Both sets of my grandparents did it too. One of my grandfathers I never met and the other just couldn't bring himself to talk about his experiences. At least not to me. 

When my mom said goodbye to my dad, she wouldn't hear his voice again until he was back on U.S. soil.  She didn't have instant communication to know where he was and if he was okay. There was no Skype or Snapchat or Vine. No email or Facebook or Twitter or text messages. Only hand written letters that took months to get to her. She still has these letters. I snooped when I was a child and found them. I read them and cried.  She doesn't know I did that. (she does now) For my mom, life went on while he was away.  It had to. She worked and spent time with her friends. Most of them were dealing with the same thing she was, in their own way. My dad, well, let's just say he had his own ways of making the time pass while he was away.

The grandfather that I never met was in the Navy.  My grandma has a picture of him in his formal dress uniform.  Every time she shows me that picture she says, "Wasn't he so good lookin?" I know she feels a deep sense of pride and looks forward to the day they meet again.  I hope he's wearing that uniform.

The grandfather that never talked to me about his experiences was in the Army.  He arrived on the beaches of Normandy on D-Day.  Just like in the movie Saving Private Ryan. Only this wasn't a movie, this was his life.  He never spoke about that day or the days, months and years that followed.  I'm glad he didn't. I would have looked at him so differently.  Like a soldier and not just my grandpa. I learned more about his military experiences after he died. If I could say one more thing to him it would be a simple, "Thank you."

I make it a point to say thank you to any military personnel I see.  I am thankful for so many things, but here is my Pick 6 list:

1. Freedom

2. Choices

3. Health

4. Ability

5. Opportunity

6. Football


~Bekki
Go Blue!