The time of soccer

While I was walking back home this morning from our little neighborhood bakery, one of the reasons I like living here, I noticed that it is that time again. The German Flag Time.

German flags are out hanging. Out of windows. Attached to cars and rear-view mirrors. On t-shirts. On kids' faces. It isn't too much. It's just right, in my opinion. I like seeing the red, gold and black.  And perhaps, just as it was in 2006, a lighter feeling and mood will come with the colors as the German National Soccer team continues with the FIFA World Cup.

As I see these flags, I can't help but smile. I like to see this German pride, even if through superficial though meaningful things like a flag. Even if some would say it is 'only' because of soccer, it still makes me smile.

German national and regional pride is something I continue to try to understand here. When do you see it? How do you see it? Who is allowed to show it? Who is not? What is German pride today? 

I know part of my interest in national pride is because of where I grew up and the strong superficial 'stuff' as well as deep values around pride that surrounded me during my childhood. I think about the US American flag at Perkins. Is there a bigger flag anywhere? It is one of those things I thought was huge when I was a little kid and still think it's huge today as a big kid.

It's nice to 'see' this German pride, even if it's only for a while this summer.