WorldWide Drilling Resource

Through the Front Door! by Jim Kuebelbeck Our granddaughter Taylor wrote this essay for a statewide district contest sponsored by the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW). It was open to anyone in the 6th through 8th grade. Out of 859 entries, hers made 2nd place. In this day and age, it is refreshing to see a young person make an effort to be proud of this flag of ours. She titled it “Why I Honor the American Flag”: The American flag can evoke many different emotions in many different people. Some look at our flag and see the precious lives sacrificed to earn it. Some see it as our identity. Some, like Francis Scott Key, the author of the “Star Spangled Banner,” see our flag as a sign of hope and freedom. Whatever the cause, our flag is one of America’s strongest symbols, standing tall in war and peace. The flag’s colors weren’t chosen at random. According to the American Legion, the white on the flag stands for purity, the red on the flag stands for valor and bravery, and blue stands for justice and perseverance. The flag is more than a piece of colorful cloth hanging on a wall. It stands for America and what we believe in. These colors combined together portray America’s best values. Our flag is something that we should be proud of. It deserves our respect because of the many lives sacrificed to keep it flying high and proud. We don’t worship our flag; we honor the efforts of everyone who helped us become a free country when we look at it. Our flag is the center of our national anthem. The original poem was written by Francis Scott Key, a lawyer and poet. He was present during the attack on Fort McHenry. The brave soldiers were fighting as hard as they could. Just when they feared that all hope was lost, the flag rose over the battlefield, inspiring Francis Scott Key and giving hope to the soldiers. After the fort miracu- lously defended the attacks, Key wrote a poem about the majesty and confidence that the flag inspired. The American flag is awe-inspiring. I honor it because it was won for us. It is a symbol of our struggles and hardships, and how we overcame them to become who we are as a country today. We have worked hard to make our country the safe, free, and just place that it is now, and our flag symbolizes that. I honor the flag because it tells a story, unique to all that look upon it with their heads held high and their hands to their hearts. This is America, and we are proud to be her sons and daughters. Jim Jim Kuebelbeck may be contacted via e-mail to michele@worldwidedrillingresource.com 21 WorldWide Drilling Resource ® MARCH 2019