"Beneath Their Sheltering Wings"
I was elated that Jenny chose "Red, White and Blue" as the theme for this week's photo challenge. It speaks of summer, of pride, of a much-loved way of life. My candidate images range from an old-fashioned soda fountain in Bar Harbor lined with polished blue and chrome stools beneath a bright red Coca-Cola fountain to little boys perched on a red and white cooler with their heads cast back in unbridled laughter to a U.S. Coast Guard boat tied off with a dive suit tossed on the dock. I sort through photographs of U.S. Flags flying freely from Maine to Florida, each with its own unique character: whipping in the wind atop rocky cliffs, capping towering sailboat masts or gently waving a warm welcome home to a rolling tree-filled farm. We are a proud nation. So many "Red, White and Blue" moments wait to be captured.
But for today's entry... one special image stands alone... purely from a sentimental standpoint.
Seeing this image with fresh eyes this weekend, I find a new dimension... not in the image itself... but those it represents. It is because of their boots planted steadfast on unfamiliar ground, their ships cutting through ocean waves, their aircraft taking flight from carriers at sea, that we enjoy these "Red, White and Blue" moments. It is because of their commitment that we speak of independence and freedom. It is because of their watch care that I tuck my boys in each night with a kiss and the knowledge that childhood dreams will be sweetly undisturbed. I hear their distinctive sound moving through the night sky... and smile, for whether they are directly overhead or entire continents away, I am beneath their sheltering wings.
From my heart,
Susan
Jenny, thank you, for hosting L.E.N.S.!
