When I was a kid, I looked at the flag and asked myself, “What is that blue with white stars, red and white stripe thing?” I was clueless on what it was and meant, But now I’m old enough to know what the flag means and what it stands for. To me, it stands for the American Dream and happiness--that everyone should work hard, have a family and be happy.

The American Dream stands for prosperity and success, and an upward mobility for families and children, achieved through hard work. Anything can be completed if you put your all into things like school and your career. People go to work on a daily basis and work hard to achieve the American Dream.  So when I look at the flag it’s almost a reminder to work hard and put my mind to what I want to achieve in life.

Happiness also symbolizes the American Flag. The flags make me happy when seeing the flag and thinking how great it is to live in this country, like having the freedom we do here in America. Other countries like Mexico and China don’t have the freedom we do, which is why we get immigrants. I have the opportunity to live in the state I please, choose my career path, and most importantly get married and have a family and live out my life in peace, happiness, and freedom.

Although I think the American Dream and happiness is the meaning of the American flag, there are things like hard-work, family, and religion that the flag can also stand for. But no matter what people think it stands for, the flag still stands big and tall. We should proud to be an American and living in a country that has all the great things it does like freedom, peace, and opportunity.