Everyone now and then, someone comes up with an idea that makes a lasting impression. Some creative person, or maybe a not-so-creative person who has a brief flash of creative genius — just enough to plant a seed of an idea so that it can grow.

All around us, we see the effects of those flashes of brilliance. We see it in Music in the Streets, which has surpassed the decade mark in its longevity. The outdoor mini-music festival showcases local talents and continues to be a big draw for people across the county. We see it in the Saturday Market on Stewart Parkway, a weekly event that brings plenty of foot traffic to downtown Washington, as people go in search of homegrown fruits and vegetables and handcrafted goods.

We see it in BathFest, an event that brings out all of Bath, and most of the surrounding area, to celebrate that town’s great history. We see it in the pile of rock that children can sift through at the Aurora Fossil Museum — rock that will likely turn up some kind of fossil.

They’re all around us, these things and events that somebody, somewhere thought up and followed through on and have improved the lives, even momentarily, of the people who live here.

Today, we see that improvement — a bump in quality of life — most visibly displayed on Stewart Parkway. There are flags. And lots of ‘em. These flags represent every state in the Union; they went up Friday night during Music in the Streets.

It’s the perfect day for a drive. Drive to downtown Washington. Drive down Stewart Parkway and have your life improved as you take in the beauty of waterfront, its new flags and the brilliance of one very good idea.

And if you happen to see Bob Henkel, owner of Inner Banks Artisans’ Center, take a moment to thank him.