I had a thought this morning as I made my way to the newspaper office. That is nothing unusual, I often have thoughts on my way in. This time, it was quite fortuitous because I had not decided on a topic for our visit this week. I was struck when I saw all the flags around the courthouse, the park, in front of the bank and this year, even across the street from the bank. It seems like every year, there are more flags. It really does make an impressive sight.
I could go on about what the flag symbolizes. However, when I think about it, those flags around downtown Madison mean more than simply a symbol of our country. In addition to being a sincere patriotic gesture, each of those flags means something to a local individual or family. What I find just as inspiring as the flags themselves are the placards that accompany each of those flags. Some of them are placed in memory of a family member or someone in particular who has served. Some are placed in memory of someone who died in service to others. Regardless of the reason, each of those flags tells a story. Just as the stitches in the fabric in those flags hold the colors of the flag together, the stories and people they represent hold us all together as a community. They help tell the story of “us.”