I was never in the military, but my Dad was a marine and raised us five kids with a boot camp mentality. Now, at the age of 50 living with the heart of a 25-year-old, I'm starting to view my growing up as a great gift! During my childhood years, I had dedicated parents that taught God's love, family love and patriotic love for our country. It's not like we were told things like "I love you." I never heard those words, but I was taught these words through my parents actions of love. Oh, that list could go on and on, but today, I writing about love for our country--America.
Since, I am training for the Grandma's Marathon (1/2 Marathon), I have been on a heavy workout schedule. The other night I went out for a run--my usual route seemed boring--so randomly I changed courses and went with my instincts. I had the same destination, but now was inventing a new route. Two years ago, I wrote a book titled, "The Flag Salutes The Wind." (It's on Amazon.) I'm writing about "The Wind". The "Wind" in my book means the Holy Spirit and also is our invisible hand. The title means, "Freedom Respects the Holy Spirit/our invisible hand. I used to travel on these instincts when I traveled from town to town. Anyway, I'm in the Land of The Spiral Bridge, Hastings, Minnesota, which I have been quoted as saying, "It's the center of the Universe."
As I'm running past J.F. Kennedy Elementary School, a janitor in his early 30's is taking down the American Flag. I stopped and watched. Memories of my childhood entered my mind. Surfacing in my mind, were flashbacks of our family's American Flag that waved off our wooden-like-telephone pole. (There are funny stories about that pole too, but not today's blog.) At dusk, all the kids and horseshoe players stopped their activity in our yard as it was time for the McGinnis family to take down our American flag. As a young boy, I watched older men put their hand over their heart's; as our Flag was lowered. Two people were always present and we folded the flag in a triangle, tucking in the ends showing only the blue and the stars. Nobody continued the basketball or the horseshoe game until the Flag was folded.
The janitor took the condescending American flag quickly and gathered it in a big ball as he walked towards the doorway. The Flag either hit the ground, or came close---at that moment I yelled out,
"You need some help folding that Flag"?
He looked puzzled; he then hesitated and said, "S--Sure."
By his reaction, he didn't know about folding our Flag but had enough respect to want to learn.
"If you don't know how, I'll teach you," I suggested.
So we grabbed the ends, and we folded The American Flag in half, and then in half again. We switched ends, and I started with the triangle, then continued until we folded the Flag showing the Blue and its Stars.
Of course, I explained to my pupil, "Damn, this little red stripe shouldn't be showing, and it should tuck in better, but this is how it is done."
I handed him the triangle Flag and he said, "Thanks." Without instruction, he naturally carried The Flag with two hands. Like he knew the correct way to carry the Flag, and off he went.
This short story is for all the men and women that have given their life to protect our life of Freedom.
Thank you both live and departed souls for this Freedom.
God Bless,
Daniel R. McGinnis
(1st Blog)
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