Standing around the casket, tears drip from my face. Strangers spread the flag over the shiny, adorned casket and suddenly--I see a meaning.

Before that brisk autumn day, the flag didn’t play a big role in my life. I never thought of it as anything more than the object I recite the pledge to everyday. But now, it represents honor, sacrifice, and remembrance.
My great uncle, a former soldier in the Vietnam War, recently passed away. Each step of honoring him the day of the funeral was laid out carefully. In the church, the flag was evenly draped over the casket and blessed with holy water. In the cemetery, the delicate flag was folded into a tight triangle of honor. In my heart was a sense of comfort, knowing the flag will help to put him at rest one last time, representing safety and reassurance.
Having the flag given to the spouse of the fallen soldier helps show they live on through the flag, despite having passed. Every person who has either fought or continues to fight for our country is embedded in the flag, presenting itself with a sense of unity.

Whenever I see the flag now, my head fills with thoughts I’ve never had before. With this new experience, a plethora of things in my life have been given new meaning; especially the flag. From the incense wafted into the still air of the church, to the casket dressed with Old Glory, new meaning is found.

The flag helps me to remember--never allowing me to forget--the memories stored between each stitch of the red, white, and blue threads.