Reflections of Freedom and Bravery

I was sitting in a large auditorium last Thursday waiting; the start of the high school strings orchestra concert was thirty minutes away. Because of my interest in architecture I occupied my time by looking at the details of the room; the colors and finishes, materials, lighting and the flag. Displayed high on one wall, with the stars in the upper left corner as they should be, was the US flag. My first thought was how one determines the proper size flag to display in an auditorium but then my thoughts wandered to a stanza from Key’s famous poem about a flag flying at Ft. McHenry, "…o’er the land of the free and the home of the brave."

My father instilled in me a deep respect for the flag and the National Anthem; I attribute this to his service in the Navy during WWII. In fact the last gift he gave me was his flag. I recalled after visiting his sister one time back in 1967 when I was very young, I asked him about a new flag she had in a box on her mantle. I remember Dad telling me she traded that flag, and the medal beside it, for her son; I didn’t understand what he meant but I felt it best not to persue the issue.

As I looked at that flag hanging in the auditorium I couldn’t help but wonder, would those same words, "…o’er the land of the free and the home of the brave." come to mind today?

I was sitting in a large auditorium last Thursday waiting; the start of the high school strings orchestra concert was thirty minutes away. Because of my interest in architecture I occupied my time by looking at the details of the room; the colors and finishes, materials, lighting and the flag. Displayed high on one wall, with the stars in the upper left corner as they should be, was the US flag. My first thought was how one determines the proper size flag to display in an auditorium but then my thoughts wandered to a stanza from Key's famous poem about a flag flying at Ft. McHenry, "...o'er the land of the free and the home of the brave."

My father instilled in me a deep respect for the flag and the National Anthem; I attribute this to his service in the Navy during WWII. In fact the last gift he gave me was his flag. I recalled after visiting his sister one time back in 1967 when I was very young, I asked him about a new flag she had in a box on her mantle. I remember Dad telling me she traded that flag, and the medal beside it, for her son; I didn't understand what he meant but I felt it best not to persue the issue.

As I looked at that flag hanging in the auditorium I couldn't help but wonder, would those same words, "...o'er the land of the free and the home of the brave." come to mind today?