To the Editor:
Once again, an American flag hangs from the post on my front porch. These days, it carries deep meaning as a symbol of democracy. It sits at a 45-degree angle, sometimes still, sometimes billowing gently in the breeze, beautiful in its motion.
When heavier winds arrive, the flag twists around the pole. The next morning, or when I return home, I take a moment to unwind it. Once, a gust blew it out of its mounting, and I secured it back in place. After big storms, I’ve even found it knotted, taking some effort to free it again.
This tending has become a small ritual, unwrapping, untangling, setting things right again. It happens a few times a week, sometimes even twice a day. The point is this: My flag, like our democracy, needs care. Take heed of the slow chipping away of our rights and freedoms. One individual can make a difference. The power of many voices can change the course of history.
Each morning, may we attend to any small acts that keep our country’s ideals flying freely. Unfurl your tangled thoughts. It takes patience and work, but with steady hands and open hearts, we can help our American democracy endure, peaceful, vibrant, and for the good of all. Let your voice be heard.
Rick Weber
Florida