The Red, White, and Blue

I was going to be spending the 4th with family but at the last moment plans changed and I'm alone today. By choice. I'm the teensiest bit bummed about it. I could have gone with for a full day of sun and boating and fireworks.... but it would also have included long hours of driving and sleeping on a couch and a day and a half of visiting. I would have had a good time but it's just, I've had soooo much family and sooooo much traveling that I'm ..... burnt out. Just burnt out. So I chose to stay behind at home to continue to pack up the livingroom. And except for that teensiest bit of me, I'm feeling pleased at my decision and happy at my freedom.

But without the distraction of noisy family and activities, I'm finding it harder not to think about the meaning of this day and what we're celebrating - the birth of our nation. A nation to be proud of and yet lately..... See. That's it. It's not my nation I'm not proud of. It's the actions of some of the people in charge I'm having trouble with. I'm having trouble keeping those things separate in my mind. Remember - Different. Not the same. I gotta keep that clear.

Here's a photo I took when we visited the ghost town Bodie a few week ago. A small flag alone in the past. Hmmmm, seems somewhat symbolic, doesn't it.

(Yes, that's an electric light hanging in the background. No, it's not ghosts. This window was in the visitor's center.)

Here's some more red, white, and blue.

These are the newest prayer flags hanging in our yard. Hubby strung them up on the front of the house but I thought it looked a bit like a circus tent, so I asked him to move them. I think they look much prettier here in the tree. We have some older ones in the back garden and some smaller ones still flying above the front door. Not a week goes by that someone doesn't ask us about them. Sometimes nervously (as if they're afraid of what we're going to say) or just out of curiousity. But everyone seems happy (and sometimes relieved) when I tell them what they are.

Now look - just as pretty when joined by other colors.

It reminds me of the bumpersticker - "I love my country, but I think we should start seeing other people."

Of course, we're flying our big ol' American red, white and blue as well.

I can still get a catch in my throat at the sight of her. She is a flag to be proud of. We need to remember our responsibility to always make sure we're a country she can be proud to represent.