Good Morning!

Happy Flag Day! And Happy Father's Day!

For many Americans, this Flag Day will have special meaning as we recall the events of last September, including the hope for resurrection we found in those men who had recovered a flag and raised it on the site of Ground Zero. Through it all, many Americans came together in ways we haven't seen before (at least not in my generation.) The flag came to stand for more than a symbol of our country, but of our people's pride, stamina, hope, love, compassion, patriotism, and so much more. And many of those flags which were erected shortly after September 11th are still standing which brings me to the following question…

What do you stand for?

If you were to make your own personal flag, what symbols would you use to represent yourself? What would they mean? Would you use any specific colors? Why?

It's been said that if you don't stand for something, you will fall for anything. This may be true, but I feel it's more important to note that if you don't know what you stand for, you'll continually feel lost and unsure of yourself. When you do know what you value and what you stand for and are willing to stand up for, life has more direction. And it's easier to make decisions knowing what's important to you.

Have a GREAT weekend and don't forget to wish your Dad a happy Father's Day.

Peace, Love, Happiness and Health

Jeanette

_______________________________________________________ Sir Froggie's PNN: Friday, June 14th, 2002

http://www.sfpnn.com _____________________________________________________________

-- MaryLu (mlc327@juno.com), June 14, 2002

Answers

Another's View on Flags:

"Something more about words. I said to you earlier that words are limited. There is more I have to add. There are some words that correspond to nothing. For instance, I'm an Indian. Now, let's suppose that I'm a prisoner of war in Pakistan, and they say to me, "Well, today we're going to take you to the frontier, and you're going to take a look at your country." So they bring me to the frontier, and I look across the border, and I think, "Oh, my country, my beautiful country. I see villages and trees and hills. This is my own, my native land!" After a while one of the guards says, "Excuse me, we've made a mistake here. We have to move up another ten miles." What was I reacting to? Nothing. I kept focusing on a word, India. But trees are not India; trees are trees. In fact, there are no frontiers or boundaries. They were put there by the human mind; generally by stupid, avaricious politicians. My country was one country once upon a time; it's four now. If we don't watch out it might be six. Then we'll have six flags, six armies. That's why you'll never catch me saluting a flag. I abhor all national flags because they are idols. What are we saluting? I salute humanity, not a flag with an army around it.

Flags are in the heads of people."

-- FD (Flag@us.com), June 14, 2002.

FD,

The love one shows for their country is in their head also. I respect my country's flag because I respect my country. You may call it an idol, but just like the statues of Saints and Mary, it is there to remind us of something.

Glenn

-- Glenn (glenn@excite.com), June 14, 2002.

I salute the flag because of what it represents, the blood shed by those who went before me to protect the freedoms of our country. It is not the flag itself that did that, it is people who had a love for their country and what it represents, who enjoyed the freedoms we have here, freedoms which are trying to be taken away from us. My father, grandfathers, and uncles fought for my freedom and the freedom for those they loved - family and friends.

I will salute the flag in honor of all those who died for what it represents and are still risking their lives for what it represents.

I love my country. I don't like what is happening to it, but I love it and will honor the flag that represents everything I believe in, my father believed in, my grandfather believed in, my uncles believed in and my brother believed in.

Our country may have its faults, our government may have its faults, what country doesn't? What government doesn't? But, to me, it is still the best country in the world to live in.

Here we have religious freedom (which is also trying to be taken away from us). We are hated by many other countries, yet, we have millions of immigrants coming here to share our freedom, to make money, and to escape the hardships they suffer in their own country.

If our country is so bad, why are so many immigrants coming here.

I thank God for my blessings every day. I can choose to work wherever I want, I can choose whatever school I want to go to, I can choose what religion I want to practice, how many children I want to have, I can choose the person I want to marry - my life partner is not chosen for me, I am free to pray, I am free - all because of those who went before me, those who fought for my freedom.

I will salute my flag. I am proud of the American Flag and what it represents. I will fly my flag proudly. Thank you, Dear God, for this beautiful country. Please, Dear God, protect America and everything it stands for. Thank you, Dear God, for the gift of living in a country where I am free. Amen

-- MaryLu (mlc327@juno.com), June 14, 2002.

Our flag is the most beautiful in the world, for the reasons MaryLu has stated above. I use it in the same manner I use sacramentals and statues, to remind me of what it stands for. I salute my flag in memory of all the great men who have died so that we may live.

My flag.......that is a hard one. I would divide it in half with a cross, one half blue and white with a picture of the Immaculate Heart, the other red and white with a picture of the Sacred Heart. Then I would put a small image of the American flag in each corner. God and then country.

-- Isabel (isabel1492@yahoo.com), June 14, 2002.

I wish I could say all those things but I cannot feel content in trying to deceive myself.

The Constitution wasn't perfect, but it was better than what we've got.

I admire your hope, but it is a bit late in the game...

-- Emerald (emerald1@cox.net), June 14, 2002.