We are part of The Trust Project.
My dad was a heavy equipment operating engineer. In World War II he helped clear the jungle as the U.S. Army built air strips in the South Pacific on their way to Japan. After the war he was a crane operator working on such notable projects as the Garrison Dam in Riverdale, North Dakota, and the Upper Mississippi Lock Project in Minneapolis.
My dad often had greasy hands. My mom kept our sink stocked with Lava soap (the best product in the 1950s for greasy hands).
When moving mom’s stuff from her home to an apartment, she handed me a bar of Lava soap and said, “Your dad used this all the time. You’ll be happy I gave this to you.” Moms know things.
Today, whenever I use that bar of Lava soap, I smile and give thanks for my parents. For me, it has become a sacred symbol of remembering my parent’s love.
So, just imagine how sacred and powerful a symbol the American flag is for millions, and for just as many reasons. A deeper message here is the powerful emotions we can attach to things. It’s the story behind the thing that is important. It’s the passion from a person's heart that waves the flag or treasures a bar of soap.
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In this season of electing leaders for our future, try to listen to the candidates' stories, even if it is only one or two. You may be surprised and enlightened by what symbols trigger the drive and passion of those who seek to lead. It just might change your mind about a candidate.
Terry Frovik
Lake Shore
