" Why do ppl cry when someone sings the national anthem?"
My response was, "Because America is great."
And their reponse, "Not really... it's just a song."
Everyone is entitled to their own opinion & I guess I could see why some may think this way. However, it made me want to write about the song and what this country means to me. I am not big on the Super Bowl, or other sporting events, but when I hear our national anthem being sang or played, I stand up, remove any hats, and put my hand over my heart & Thank God to be an American. I am so blessed to be a citizen of this amazing country.
To me, the national anthem is NOT just a song. It's a tribute to our service men and women- past, present, and future. It's a tribute to the wars we fought - civil and foreign. It's a tribute to the American citizens themselves. What makes this country so great is our foundation. And the National Anthem is a huge part of our foundation. I may not always get teary eyed, but for the few minutes that the song is sang and played, I take a moment to reflect on how great life is. It's a reminder that I should not be selfish in life. Someone out there may not have it as easy as I. It's a reminder that their are great men and women serving for my freedoms.
I may not always agree or love my government, but I can assure you, the love for my country is unwavering and true. I may not serve in the military but I defend my country on a day to day basis. I make my opinions known. I stand by my constitution (as we all well know my thoughts on the 2nd Amendment & the recent infringements upon it).
O say can you see by the dawn's early light,
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming,
Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight,
O'er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming?
And the rockets' red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there;
O say does that star-spangled banner yet wave,
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?
Ok - on a related note, this reminded me of something that happened once while I was a nanny for these girls in NY. We were at a RedWings game and they played the National Anthem before the game, and said thank you to any servicemen/women in the stands. Now,their father is a serviceman, and I encouraged the girls to stand up and "hoot and holler" all they wanted. They don't need much of an excuse to go wild, they're pretty fun little girls, so they were shouting "Yay daddy!" and jumping up and down. Three elderly veterans, sitting near us, turned around while in salute and took their hats off to the girls. One said "Thank you girls, and your father." I know it was a little moment, and that these veterans deserved the most praise, and that the girls didn't understand what it meant exactly...but it made me tear up like a big baby. It's those little things that make you proud to be an American, and remind us of what we stand for.
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