I Caught Myself Humming the National Anthem
Over coffee this morning, I caught myself humming the National Anthem, and what surprised me most was not the song itself but the fact that I could not remember ever doing that before.
After twenty years on active duty in the United States Army, and for many years thereafter, I have heard the National Anthem more times than I could ever count. I have stood for it at military ceremonies, official functions, sporting events, community gatherings, and all kinds of occasions. I know the posture, the protocol, the meaning, and the history attached to it, but humming it casually while moving through my own house was something entirely different.
Yesterday was Election Day, and this morning the country woke up to results that will undoubtedly influence the direction of the next decade. Elections have a way of stirring strong emotions because they remind us of so much; and yes, the good, the bad, and the ugly.
Maybe that is why the National Anthem found its way into my morning.
What I was feeling was about the country itself and the idea that citizens still have the ability to influence its direction. There was something about waking up after an election and seeing people participate in that process that made me think again about what patriotism means.
Military service taught me early that patriotism is far more complicated than ceremony, pomp, and circumstance. It is easy to associate love of country with flags, songs, uniforms, and formal observances, but serving for twenty years showed me that patriotism lives in responsibility, sacrifice, discipline, and the willingness to be part of something larger than any individual.
I served under different presidents, met one face to face, and alongside people from every kind of background. We did not all think alike, vote alike, worship alike, or see the world through the same lens, but we still had a mission and a responsibility to one another. That experience stayed with me long after I retired because it taught me that agreement is not the same thing as commitment and selfless service.
Maybe what I was humming this morning was from a place of hope and possibility.
As I thought about it, I realized that Veterans Day is only days away, and military service teaches you that commitment is not always sentimental or convenient. Sometimes service asks you to go somewhere you did not choose, work with people you did not choose, carry responsibilities you did not ask for, and still show up prepared to do what needs to be done.
So this morning, while moving through an ordinary day at home, I found myself humming a song I had heard countless times but had never really carried with me in quite that way.
There was no ceremony, no crowd, and no flag being raised in front of me. The National Anthem was not being played for me. It was simply coming from me.
I wonder who else was humming this morning. Comment and let me know.
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