Ritual Of Posting The Colors

My colors, the American flag, got whipped around in the wind one too many times and ripped a week ago. That required its retirement and the immediate placing of an order for a replacement flag. Yesterday, the retired flag was delivered to a local Boy Scout Troop and the Elks Club to be properly destroyed in a flag retirement a ceremony.

I’ve been a week without a flag and so my morning ritual of posting the colors was halted. I just received the replacement flag in the mail today, and once again the Stars and Stripes are proudly flying from my flag pole. And, my ritual is restarted.

Ritual is an important feature in human life performing a valuable cohesive social and/or religious function. There are all sorts of rituals: marriage, birthday and graduation celebrations; funerals; memorial holidays; seasonal holidays; and a whole host of religious functions; just to mention a few. Rituals remind us of waypoints in life that are important. Not the least of which is the remembrance of people, who are significant in our lives.

My morning ritual of raising the colors reminds me to think of three people specifically, two deceased and one extant. Why do I think of these three people? Because they were or are very important in my life in one manner or another, and they are linked to what it means to be a patriotic American. One is my father, one is a police officer and the other is a U.S. Marine. Also, they represent all of those who I do not know.

I am grateful for all the people who gave through history or are giving today to make the United States the wonderful place that I have the privilege to live within. My American flag, flying from my flag pole, is for all of them.