So how many took notice?

​June 14 every year is flag day.

To be clear it is American flag day. It isn't international flag day,

It is a day set aside by Harry S. Truman as the specific day to honor the American Flag and the symbol it represents to people around the world, but especially for Americans.

At least the ones who care.

And that number seems lesser and lesser each year.

​ Like Memorial Day and Veterans' Day services each year seem smaller and smaller unless there is a parade with candy tossing paraders incentivizing participation.

Though it seems fewer people care to acknowledge these days,  does that mean fewer people care about the country? Or is it  more that rituals are a thing of an outdated time?

Each year I seem to have the same thoughts and tonight as I spoke to a good friend, I. caught myself perhaps not caring myself.  I noticed we were talking right in the middle of the keynote speakers speech. We weren't trying to be rude, but we honestly didn't know what was happening because our friendship and catching up took precedence, I guess, over respecting this service and the speaker.

It has been weighing on my mind since.

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The Franklin ceremony tonight, barring the participants in the flag retiring service, the V.E.T.S. Honor Guard, the Elks, who put on the event, and their families and the Silver Cornet Band and their families, maybe a half dozen folks showed up? Maybe ten?

Have the ceremonies lost their luster? Are they are not being advertised as well as they should? Maybe they are just tired old ceremonies in need of new approaches?

T​his said, poor attendance doesn't seem to stop those who organize this hour long-ish event. It reminds me of the person who does something they believe in even though no one else knows they do it. 

There is at least something noble in that.

These are some of the photographs from Franklin's Flag Day ceremony. See even more photos by visiting:
​https://sayerrich.zenfolio.com/p863426261