the good stitch

Instead of having a cook-out, going to the lake, seeing the fireworks, or watching the Nathan’s hot dog eating contest (ok, you caught me — I did watch the hot dog eating contest), I spent most of the 4th of July knitting. Not very patriotic, right?

At the end of the day, though, I looked down at my progress and realized that I’d basically spent the holiday knitting an American flag. That’s not its intended purpose — it’s actually supposed to be Christmas oriented. but there it was, a red and white striped swatch of fabric.

In the third grade I was in a history play at Greenlawn Elementary School in Rantoul, Illinois. I stepped out of a huge history book onto the stage, and took my place, kneeling, third from stage left in the front row. I don’t think I had any lines, but I honestly can’t remember. I was wearing a dress of some sort, and a ruffled ivory apron that mom had sewn for me. I was playing Betsy Ross.

I only lived in Rantoul for eight months, in between an 18-month stint at Ramstein Air Force Base in Germany and a three-year residence in Tampa, Florida. Over the course of my childhood I also lived in Biloxi, Colorado Springs, Honolulu, and Austin. I was a military child.

I read a Wikipedia article recently that said that being raised in the military is a personality profile that cuts across whatever other cultural, social, or economic profiles that might apply. It also said that kids raised in the military grow up to be much more patriotic than others.

I can’t say that I’m terribly patriotic these days, mostly due to the horrifically disappointing administration that is in control of the White House. But I was comforted by my red and white stripes and hope that at some point in the near future I can be proud of them again.

• July 15, 2007
• Posted in Knits in Progress
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