In America, family is what defines you. It’s what sets the standards for you to live by. Today, the American flag represents the 13 original colonies and the current 50 states, but the American flag also symbolizes family.
Some may see family as blood relation, where others see the word as deep friendships or brotherhood. The concept of brotherhood is exercised in social classes and throughout the United States. The theme of brotherhood is present in our military and is a reason why we have one of the strongest militaries in the world.
In my own life, I have found brotherhood on my high school football team. Football may not be as extreme as the military, but the idea of men giving all they have for the guy next to you is what makes my brotherhood beautiful. It’s the idea that, even though there is no blood relation, you sacrifice your all for your teammates.
In America, family is what defines you. It’s what motivates you to do extraordinary things. In the journey of life, when you come across a fork in the road, who do you go to for help? Family. Without family, your confidence and positive attitude would be nonexistent--family is what you lean back on when your life is tough. Throughout my life, no matter what kind of situation I was in, my family has always been there for me. I am blessed to have such a caring family, but in other countries, the idea of a family is only a dream. If I were to have been born in China, I would not be here today due to the one child limitation.

In America, family is what defines you. As John F Kennedy said, “As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.” For that reason, I am thankful to view our nation’s flag cutting though the breeze outside of my house and know I live in a society that prides itself on family and having each other’s backs.