Is your American flag flying today? It should be; it’s Flag Day—a unique American observance in which we honor the day, 246 years ago, when Congress commemorated Betsy Ross’s creation of the Stars and Stripes as our national flag. The flag has looked different throughout those years, of course, twenty-seven variations, actually, as America grew through the 13 original colonies to the 50 states represented by the white stars today.

Growing up, we lived next door to my aunt and uncle and between our homes we had a flag pole. On Flag Day, my aunt, a fourth-grade lteacher, would meet us at the pole in the morning; and we would proudly raise the flag and recite the pledge. Because of this family tradition, I rarely forget to commemorate Flag Day. That’s the power of family purposefully building in values.