(The Fourth of July is coming up soon, and for our country that’s a BIG deal. The fourth is our Independence Day when we celebrate our nation’s freedom. (I say that because there are a few non-Americans who actually read my blog) Sometimes I let it become all about the family picnics and fireworks, but not this year.
(Fortunately, for me and my community, I am able to participate in a Patriotic Celebration at my church that honors God, our military, and first responders (police, firefighters, EMS, and 911 operators). Every year, we do a big choir number and have our military come forward to be honored. This year’s arrangement includes a lot of songs about our flag and our freedom.
The video that is shown while we’re singing is incredible. I can’t watch it without tearing up, so it’s a good thing I can’t see it while we’re singing! Some of the images are of soldiers saying goodbye to family, some are of Arlington National Cemetery and all the white headstones, and some are of our flag.
One song in particular is titled “There She Stands.” It’s about how, in the darkest moments in our nation’s history, someone has raised the flag high and given our enemy no victory over their attack.
The moment that gets me the most is the one I witnessed in my own lifetime.
Images from September 11, 2001 will never leave me. The moment I see a picture of the flag, twin towers, or the rubble, I turn to mush. I am immediately transported back to that day and time and feel the sadness, disbelief and confusion all over again. I can’t believe that it was 10 years ago already.
I hope I’m able to make it through the service on Sunday morning with no tears. I’m sure that’s a long shot, since I’ve been tearing up at every practice we’ve had. It’s so powerful. I feel it’s a privilege to stand up on that stage and honor our military men and women as well as our police and fire fighters. Political differences and frustrations aside, I thank every single one of them for the freedom I have living in this country.
And I kinda love that images of our flag makes me teary.
Great post and the pictures were amazing.
ReplyDeleteI read this post this morning and I've been thinking about it all day.
ReplyDeleteI've been wondering why Americans seem to be so patriotic. Would you say the majority of Americans are strongly patriotic?
Maybe it's the whole independance thing...you had to fight for it so it's been passed down from generation, whereas Britain was once a super power but has gradually got smaller.
There just doesn't seem to be the same level of patriotism in Britain. Sure, we turn out for royal weddings and coronations and things but the American and Australian visitors always seem so much more excited about it than the Brits. I don't think we talk as much about the armed forces either. Although I have mixed feelings about some of the wars going on at the moment I think it would be nice if we celebrated those who risk their lives more.
Interesting post!
Great post. My husband's grandfather was a WWII veteran. He just died a little over a year ago.
ReplyDelete