#85 - Revisit the Vietnam Memorial in D.C.

Last month for Spring Break, Tommy and I traveled all the way to Washington, D.C., because he had never been!! We went to all the monuments, the National Gallery, the Phillips Collection, the National Archives, and the Sculpture Garden - I'd been to all of them and dragged Tommy along to all my art museums, though he was really stoked about Roy Lichtenstein's America (the optical illusion house in the garden).

I remembered that I had listed the Vietnam War memorial as an item on my 99 in 999 list, so I suggested to Tommy that we end our excursion with Lincoln and the memorials before heading home. My biological grandfather died while in Vietnam, and Tommy's grandfather served in the Korean war (which is also memorialized), so we both had roots there. I've been trying to find out more about him lately, I guess in an effort to find out more about why I am the way I am. My dad was adopted and my mom's bio dad died in Vietnam during the war, and though both sets of  grandparents who I am born to are my family and I have so many of their traits, there's this genetic heritage that I have always wondered about. I feel that it is okay to be curious about where you come from, while loving, keeping, and claiming the family heritage you were born to. Nevertheless, I've felt attached to the Wall, that a part of my blood-heritage is there. It also makes me proud and grateful to be American.



It was a cold and empty day, which was surprising but welcome. Not wanting to walk from the Mall to the war memorials, we drove down to get the elusive parking spot, breaking at least 2 traffic laws trying to get there. (oops!) Trying to keep our umbrellas from turning inside out (again), we walked across the fields to the Lincoln Memorial, and finally to the Wall. I looked up the name of my grandfather in the laminated record books, and walked with Tommy down the panels to find him.

The first time I went to the Wall, it was Memorial Day 2006 and I was with my dad. There was so many people and so much going on that I felt mostly reverence and humility, as well as curiosity. This time, years later, it was cold, wet, quiet, and empty, and I am the age that my grandfather died when he was there. Also, being married has made me extremely sensitive, and just realizing that my life was progressing and growing at the age when my grandfather and the thousands of men and women on the Wall were wounded, dying, and surviving so far away from their home, in the cold and the wet - my heart burst and I cried. (Tommy and I have a crying policy - when I cry, it's usually not because I'm upset but because something is beautiful or sad, so he just lets me go and doesn't make fun of me unless I deserve it.)

It was a special experience, and very humbling as well. If you are in the area and have not been, I strongly urge you to go. The Korean War and World War II memorials are there as well, and everyone needs to learn about and remember the sacrifices young men and young women our age made for us so that we can grow up in an age of prosperity and opportunity. If someone in your family is a veteran, thank them and learn about their service.

I'm lucky enough to have a living grandpa who served and told me about his stories when I was growing up and helped to teach me to love my country and people who protect it. I'm very grateful for those who sacrifice so that I can grow up and raise my future kids in safety and comfort.