“Just a Thought” from Don Clucas August 15, 2016.... Come on America, Leave Gabby Alone

Come on America, let’s get off Gabby’s back! She’s a wonderful young woman who has poured her heart and soul into representing her country in two Olympics (my apologies to all my teachers who told me not to use so many clichés in my writing).
She stood politely at attention when the national anthem was played, and didn’t do anything to show even a hint of discourtesy or lack of patriotism. So what if she didn’t place her hand over her heart. There are no hard and fast rules to say we must do “this or that” when the anthem is played or the pledge of allegiance is recited...as long as we are not being discourteous. Yes, the military has its rules of etiquette, but those rules do not apply to civilians.
Even in our religious life in this country, there are no set rules to the position we take when we are praying....seated with hands folded and palms together, or standing with hands clasped behind our backs? Standing in a group holding hands with those next to us? Kneeling on a bench? Lying in a bed? Driving on a steep mountain road with one hand grasped tightly on the steering wheel and the other hand wiping sweat off our forehead?
In his book Praying Jesus’ Way, Curtis Mitchell addresses the subject of “the procedures of prayer.” In the section “Posture in Prayer,” he quotes the poem entitled “The Prayer of Cyrus Brown” by Sam Walter Foss:
“The proper way for a man to pray,” said Deacon Lemuel Keyes,
“And the only proper attitude is down upon his knees.” “No, I should say the way to pray,” said Reverend Dr. Wise,
“Is standing straight with outstretched arms, And rapt and upturned eyes.” “Oh, no, no, no,” said Elder Slow, “Such posture is too proud.
A man should pray with eyes fast-closed, and head contritely bowed.” “It seems to me his hands should be serenely clasped in front,
With both thumbs pointing to the ground,” said Reverend Dr. Blunt. “Last year I fell in Hidgekin’s well headfirst,” said Cyrus Brown,
“With both my feet a stickin’ up and head a-pointin’ down;
And I made a prayer right then and there, the best prayer I ever said,
The prayingest prayer I ever prayed, a-standin’ on my head.”
So, if Cyrus Brown could pray “a-standin’ on his head,” what’s the big deal (oops, another cliché) about Gabby courteously standing at attention without placing her hand over her heart?...Just a thought.