D.C. Memorials

I don’t start work until tomorrow but all my roommates started today so I decided to take the opportunity and do a bunch of touristy things. I started the day by going up the Washington Monument. It was my first time doing that so it was really neat to look down over the whole city.

After that, I walked along the reflection pool stopping at the WWII Memorial, the 56 Signers of the Declaration of Independence Memorial, the Vietnam War Memorial, the Lincoln Memorial, and the Korean War Memorial. I love all of the memorials; they are so powerful and impactful. It really brings it home to me, walking along the Vietnam Memorial and looking at the endless list of names and then thinking about how each name represents a life, a family, hopes, dreams, fears, a life cut short. Standing at the feet of the statue of Abraham Lincoln, thinking what an amazing man he must have been and then reading his Second Inaugural Address engraved in the wall.

“With malice toward none with charity for all
with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right…”



It is probably my favorite political speech because of the focus on healing and reconciliation. The surprise to me was how touched I was by the Korean War Memorial. I don’t know much about the Korean War, just the basics. But I imagine that there were a lot of people fighting in the war who felt the same way. There is this powerful statement engraved into the ground at the memorial:

“Our nation honors her sons and daughters
who answered the call to defend a country
they never knew and a people they never met”

I can’t even begin to imagine the fear, anger and frustration that our armed forces might have felt. But I can begin to imagine the confusion because here we are over 50 years later and I still don’t fully comprehend. The part that brings it home to me is engraved in big bold letters, “Freedom is not Free.” I think a lot of us forget that. I know I do.

In the afternoon, I toured the Library of Congress and the Supreme Court building. They are such impressive buildings each with its own personal set of stories and fascinating history.

I already love living in D.C. Being so close to this much history is a phenomenal experience. To be able to just take a short walk and be among monuments to so many amazing individuals, I just count myself lucky to be here and I pray that I won’t lose my excitement and enthusiasm.