The morning after a battle is a time of anguish. Pain for the wounded, sorrow for their families, and uneasiness for the soldiers. However, it can also be a time of empowerment. A time to celebrate what was accomplished, and to see the Stars and Stripes flying above the cries of carnage and chaos following the bloody battle.

War is a drain on the world. It never brings about good for the whole, just benefit for the winner-and sometimes, not even that. But the flag can still bring about hope and inspiration immediately after a show of some of the worst humanity has to offer on the battlefield. This power is what the flag is all about, pushing people forward and causing them to strive for greatness.

Power is merely the result, though. Underneath all this lies strength, then zeal, then willpower. All the way at its base, our flag is something much less individual: Our flag represents Unity. Unity not just as a country, or as an army, but as a people. A people divided in many aspects, but brought together under a common goal.

This sense of community is an unlikely one. Coming from all over the world, and living through all walks of life, it often seems like there might be nothing in common between two Americans. But they hold the American Dream dear to their hearts, as does everybody. The flag draws out the universal desire for betterment, compounded it past the universal level most humans have. That is what makes it the American Dream, and as we reach for the stars, it pushes us forward to see them mounted on our wall.