flags

so my brother, sister, mom and i were pretty stuck figuring out what to get my dad for father's day.
seriously. what does one get for the guy who doesn't want anything and has every tool there is? [and he doesn't wear ties to work]

so we were sitting outside in our neighbor's yard a few weeks ago and i looked over at the flag pole sitting in our yard.
now, i am the daughter of a man who used to be in the navy.
i was taught all the proper ways to treat a flag. i know how to respect the flag. i know how it should be flown.
well, that thinking got me a little upset because i looked at the flag pole and our american flag was tattered.
to fly a tattered flag does not show respect to the flag.
so it bothered me.
and then... all of the sudden... it dawned on me!
get dad a new flag for father's day!!

so we did.
we ordered him a new american flag and a new navy flag for the flag pole.

and we gave it to him yesterday [of course we folded the american flag properly - in a triangle].
and he loved it.
he almost started crying.

then i got thinking.
how much does it take for you to try when your children [and wife] give you a flag?
is it because of the flag?
is it because you have so much respect for the flag?
or because your children knew to buy you something that means so much to you?
what is it?

i also started getting sad.
i'm not sure i would be that emotional about a flag. i mean i get outraged when people treat it improperly. i want to go buy people a new one that fly tattered and torn flags. i respect the flag so much.
but i'm not sure i would cry.
and that kind of bothers me.
not 100% sure why.
but it does.

how many people out there would be so emotional at receiving a flag for a gift?
why does it seem that only the veterans would?