Milady noticed today that our flag is tattered, splitting along the seams, much the worse for wear. Luckily, I had a spare, so I spent a half-hour retiring the old and installing the new. The old flag is folded properly and stored on a shelf in the garage. Before long, I'll have to build a fire and dispose of it properly.
I spent too many years in the Boy Scouts and the Army to let me simply discard it like so much trash. It's our flag, after all, and deserves respect even after it has passed its useful life.
Veterans and Scouts will understand. That is all.
3 comments:
Indeed.
I send/take mine to my grandson in Iowa. The American Legion teams with the scouts periodically for a ceremonial version.
Used to do it in my grill, but always felt guilty about it.
I build a hot fire in a cleared area in the back, just at dusk, and stand until the retired Flag's consumed. It's a private thing, sometimes accompanied by my son, also a Scout in his youth. Simple, clean, done.
Post a Comment