Mrs. Teabody Flies the American Flag

 

Our American flag. There are probably altogether more than three dozen American flags flying along Main Street McConnellsburg, Pennsylvania today and they will remain flying until Independence Day 2022 has passed. The bulk of the current crop were donated by a dear friend to recognize the service and sacrifice of our military. The opening days of the history of my life recognized that America armed forces had joined other countries in the destruction of a horrible monster bent on eliminating whole segments of the world.  My father, my uncles embodied the American military aspect. It was that flag I grew up gazing at, hand over heart: "UNITED States of America" and "with liberty and justice for all." While I have many, many mixed feelings about the state of affairs in America on this bright morning of July 4, 2022,  I'm clear about the spirit and intent with which I put three dozen American flags in place:

1. Respect for the American military and all the associate forces that work to protect us, the people in all the States of the UNITED States and the declarations that started us along this path  246 years ago: 

"When in the course of human events, it becomes necessary . . ." 

and the one I cling to with every fibre of my being, 

"We hold these truths to be self evident, that all men are created equal . . . "

 2. Union, united, unity. Every state is recognized on every American flag. Each of us can  randomly choose a white star on a field of blue and say, " I live here. That's my star. And I can pass freely to all those other stars and still be HOME in my America." 

A couple people reading this have made it a point to visit every single one of these 50 United States. I have never heard one single person who has travelled  extensively through America say, "Oh, all the people in so-and-so are a$$hole$" or  "all the people in so-and-so act like idiots". No.  People are people wherever you go. When you have lived as long as I have, you will conclude that a$$holery  and/or idiocy are not geographical. You are just as likely to find these traits in Iowa as you are in North Dakota, in New York City as in Baton Rouge, etc., etc. In fact, truth be told, you and I may have engaged in some displays of a$$holery and idiocy our own selves.  

We are human. We are frail. We get bogged down with our own limited abilities on how to handle anger and frustration and despair, and then we react, sometimes not in the best ways, sometimes in ways that actually harm us. I have an Irish temper. It flares up and then it quickly burns out as the voice of experience in my brain says, "What do you hope to accomplish with this anger?  This anger hurts you ."  This recognition is followed by a question: "What can I do with all this anger energy?" And the answer is ALWAYS the same: "Do Something Kind." And when I am able to find this ability to turn anger into understanding/compassion/postive action in myself, I know in my heart of hearts that it is possible -- I didn't say easy . . . I said POSSIBLE . . . for anyone, for everyone to do the same. 

For every single American person reading this, I say go and really look at an American flag. Take a second to choose one star and then claim your place as one of more than 300 million Americans represented. Become a single dot on a single star woven into a field of blue. Look at the 13 stripes of red and white representing our earliest Americans and a dream of a new land where things were going to be different: 

"We hold these truths to be self evident that all men are created equal . . ."  

Today is America's 246th birthday. I'm making a little birthday wish. My wish for America is that each one of us in the coming days and weeks and years remind ourselves that we need to do what we can to discover and celebrate all the things that unite us rather than all the things that divide us, to let what comes out of our hearts and out through our voices is a  unifying message respecting that here in America we need to try harder to achieve that dreamed-of nation of 246 years ago. And when we do, when we show all those negative commentators and Twitterfeeds and destructive bots and ne'er-do-wells that we Americans, while capable of boundless a$$holery and idiocy, are also capable of the kind of idealism and industry,  of humanity and kindness that not only will triumph over adversity but will see us through to many, many Fourth of July celebrations to come.

And when birthday 250 comes around, let us be able to say we have spent our time and energy uniting all those folks who are so much like us. And then I say we party. 

Like Americans. 

You know - -the ones on the flag.