UNITED: Reaching for the flag

I live in St. Maries. I had decided to drive to Coeur d’Alene last Saturday morning. It was a beautiful morning and as I was leaving town driving down Main Street, I saw a family walking up the sidewalk. One of them was carrying a small child on their shoulders. I noticed as they were walking a woman with them stopped to unfurl our nation’s flag from a street sign that it had wrapped around. Another among them stopped to assist.

As I drove into Coeur d’Alene, I thought of this woman that I did not know. I did not know anything about her…her political affiliation, her religious beliefs, or the stances that she does or does not take on so many debatable issues that seem to divide our country today.

But at that moment, I was struck by how she took the time to show her love for the emblem that represents who we should strive to be, THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. In that moment, this woman also set an example for that young child perched on the shoulders of another in the group.

There is so much we can do to heal the nation. We can pray. We can strive to recognize that even though we are different, we are still citizens of this great country. We can find the good in people when we look only for the good. We can reach for the flag.

JENNA BARAGA

St. Maries