Here we are for day two of our Forever We’ll Remember Countdown. We have only six days left until Memorial Day.

I am so excited to have my friend, Madi, here today to share a guest post with us. Her post is one that I believe every American needs to be reminded of routinely. Thank you so much, Madi, for joining us!

Without further discussion, take it away.

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Written by Madisyn Carlin:

In the fourth verse of The Star-Spangled Banner, Francis Scott Key penned, “Oh, thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand / Between their loved home and the war’s desolation!”. These iconic lyrics later became our nation’s anthem. Key wrote this song while watching Fort McHenry be bombarded by the British during the War of 1812. While Key certainly did not have Memorial Day on his mind, he nevertheless touched on a heartbreaking topic: the brave men and women who would sacrifice themselves fighting for our country.

Part of what inspired Key to pen The Star-Spangled Banner was how Old Glory still waved despite the onslaught. The flag was battered and certainly not in pristine and prime condition, but still it flew proudly amidst the explosions and fighting. One could say that moment in time, that spot in history where the flag defied the bullets and cannonballs, symbolizes our nation, our tenacity and grit, and our proud heritage. Furthermore, it symbolizes those who have bled and died for freedom.

To understand how the flag symbolizes our fallen heroes, we must first understand what The Stars and Stripes’ colors mean. According to Memorials.com, “White signifies purity and innocence, Red, hardiness & valor, and Blue, signifies vigilance, perseverance & justice”. 

White, purity and innocence, for the soldier’s pure intention of defending our nation. 

Red, for the valor of preparing to lay down one’s life and the hardiness one must adopt to overcome the tests and trials being a soldier presents. 

Blue, for the perseverance of enduring what it takes to become a front-line defender of freedom. And blue for the call of justice a soldier answers when he prepares to face evil.

These colors, our flag, not only represent our nation as a whole, they represent our foundations. Our heritage. Our freedom. They fly in honor of the courageous and valiant souls who took up arms to defend Freedom and Liberty. From the first battle of the War for Independence to now, they have been a beacon of our indomitable spirit and a beckoning, a call to arms, for us to take up the call to fight and defend and, if necessary, lay down our lives so our loved ones and our beloved nation might survive.

This Memorial Day, we honor those who gave it all in the fight for freedom. May we never forget their sacrifice and the price they paid. May we never forget their steadfastness in the face of danger and death. May we never forget them.

“Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” 

– John 15:13

SOURCES CITED:

What do the colors of the American flag mean? Memorials.com. (n.d.). Retrieved May 21, 2022, from https://www.memorials.com/Flag-Color-Meaning-information.php

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Thank you again so much, Madi! The meanings behind our flag’s colors are so important. They are the colors for which our heroes die. They are colors worth pondering and remembering.

What are your thoughts on the colors of our beautiful flag? Have you ever thought about how they tie in so much with Memorial Day? Let me know in the comments!

A. M. Watson

Hebrews 13:8