Tattered Glory: Reflections this 4th of July
Tattered Glory. That was the name I first gave this image years ago. It’s a simple photograph of a well-used and proudly flown American flag, captured as it swayed in a gusty March wind. This flag had hung from a small-town porch for well over a year before it was replaced, its edges frayed and threads worn thin by sun, weather, and changing seasons. Even then, there was something iconic about its quiet resilience.
Today, as the 4th of July approaches, I look at this image with fresh eyes. I see more than a flag that has withstood the passage of time. I see a reflection of how many of us feel in this moment: worn and weathered, edges fraying under the strain of uncertainty and discord. This flag does not stand as a symbol of one side or another, of left or right, but rather of a country and a people who have endured, carrying their scars with quiet dignity.
We may feel tired. We may feel discouraged. But there is still something enduring in that tattered cloth. It reminds us that we can be worn and still stand. We can feel divided yet remain united under something larger than ourselves. We can feel frayed at the edges, but that does not mean we have lost our worth or our beauty. Just as this flag continues to fly despite its wear, so too does our strength endure, reminding us that resilience is not defined by perfection but by hope, perseverance, and the will to keep moving forward.
This Independence Day, I find myself reflecting on that balance of being proud yet humble, strong yet vulnerable, hopeful yet realistic. We may not feel whole or polished right now. But perhaps, like this flag, it is in our tattered moments that our true resilience shows. These worn edges remind us that our strength does not come from appearing perfect, but from holding together through the storms. In the end, it is not about being flawless or unbroken, but about standing firm in what we believe, caring for one another, and carrying forward the ideals that formed our country, even when times feel uncertain.
Have a happy, fun, and safe Fourth of July!!
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Technical Notes:
This image was captured with a Canon DSLR and a Canon EF 24-105mm f/4 IS lens at f/5.6. Post-processing was done in Lightroom with manual split toning to create the tea-stained look, along with vignetting to darken the corners.