Australia Day and the whole flag thing....

While it is nice to see the Australian flag flying on Australia Day, let's not get too desperate about it. It is just a flag. Let's remember that one of the good things about being Australian is that we take many things seriously but nothing too seriously and that includes the flag, the country, the nationality! Just relax and enjoy.

Getting soppy or fanatical about the flag is not healthy. Something else to remember is:

During World War Two, all German students would daily make a pledge of allegiance to Hitler, and had the swastika flag in every classroom as well as a portrait of Adolf Hitler......

We are all in this world together. No person or country is any better than any other. If we like living in the country of our birth and enjoy the best quality of life that is on offer at this point in history we are fortunate. Many do not have that even though they love the country of their birth.

There are no great countries, only 'great' places to live and they are made so by people - not by flags, songs, or nationalistic trappings and parroted propaganda.

As my kids so often said to me when they were growing up: CHILL. Just have fun and be grateful you can.