Flag day is coming up this weekend and it might be easy to overlook.

It’s the annual commemoration of the official adoption of the U.S. flag in 1777, and it’s a simple holiday: No barbecues. No fireworks. No day off work. To take part you only have to do one thing, fly the American flag.

And you should just that – with pride – on June 14.

It’s easy to take our Stars and Strips for granted. We drive by our flag multiple times a day. It flies high in front of our banks, schools and our ball fields. We salute the flag at ceremonies and ballgames, placing our hands over our hearts as we say the Pledge of Allegiance or joining along as someone sings the “Star Spangled Banner” but we rarely give pause to stop and think about all that flag represents.

If you don’t have a family member or friend in service, then you may not fully understand the sacrifice of the men and women who give their lives every day so that we can drive past the flags in front of our everyday buildings as they wave to us on the way to work.

That alone should make us thankful. We are able to drive to the career of our choice through the town of our choice in the car of our choice drenched to the bone with the freedom that was not free. Let us always be thankful for the men and women who sacrifice themselves for our freedom and let us always be grateful for the banner that reminds of that each day.

And if you’re a novice at flying the flag, it’s important to know that we have a long-standing set of rules for displaying Old Glory. Some key points to consider:

• If flown from a pole that is mounted to a balcony or building, the union (the blue section with stars) should be at the top of the staff.

• If over a street, the flag must be hung vertically with the union to the north or east.

• If suspended over a sidewalk, the union should be away from the building.

• If the flagpole is on your law, the flag should be raised in the morning and lowered in the evening. Never let it touch the ground. To store the flag, fold it neatly, preferably in the shape of a tri-cornered hat.

• Fly the flag after dark only if it is illuminated.

• And, finally, ripped flags should be replaced but never put in the garbage. Boy Scout troops and American Legion posts in this area collect them for proper disposal in flag retirement ceremonies.

So wave your flag high and proud this Flag Day and every day after.