The Old Red, White, and Blue

I never dreamed I'd marry a military man! My best friend in high school did just that, and I thought the whole culture was...well, frankly, weird. Way out there. Those people on base kept to themselves like some cult or something. I couldn't believe my outgoing, nutty friend had married into such a strange lifestyle. But then, many years later when I joined the commune (ha!), I realized that those "weird" folks are close because they are quickly bonded together by the trials, heartaches, insecurities, and, yes, joys of military life. They cling to one another because their military peers are the only ones who really understand, when it gets down to it.

So the old Red, White, and Blue means something very different to me now than it used to. I, not unlike you, saluted that flag in elementary school and pledged allegiance to it. I honored it because I was taught to honor it. I was always respectful, but I have to admit that it got pretty boring pretty fast. So it became a routine many days. Nothing more, nothing less.

I feel a deep-down respect for the American flag now because of the difficult sacrifices my family has made for it and because of the awful, heart-wrenching sacrifices others have made for it. I bawled like a baby at an Atlanta Braves game a few years ago because they had a fly-over (military jets zooming over the stadium real low) before the game and a patriotic fireworks display celebrating Independence Day afterward. I was shocked that I lost it like that over some silly fireworks, but it was much more than pyrotechnics to me. I had "become military". Wherever I am, I keep my eyes glued to the flag and my right hand firmly planted over my heart when our national anthem is being played, because it goes gut-level deep with me now. I have sacrificed for that flag, and it has sacrificed greatly for me. I love my husband, I love my family, I love those who have given their lives in service to our country, I love civilians, and I love that flag. I'm sorry it took marrying into the strange world of military life to fall in love with my country, but, as trying as this life can be, I'm honored to be able to say that I'm now a true patriot.

That flag might be battered, but she still waves, and I salute her. God bless America!