Or maybe it should just be my first name! So after graduation, dad was here for a week. We went to Arlington National Cemetary in DC which neither of us had gone to before. It was beautiful, amazing, peaceful. I think Dad and I got a lot of really neat photos (yes, maybe I'll post them - if you're good!) I noticed how people didn't really speak quietly or reverently as though they were in a cemetary, but more as though they were in a pretty park even though there were reminders all over the place.
While at Arlington, we went to see the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. It is guarded by an Army soldier who paces about 100 feet of space every 30 seconds or so. It's a fancy way of pacing. Dad and I watched him for quite a while getting photos. I noticed how people were very quiet, even reverent at this point even though they had not been before. There was something in the atmosphere that said, "this is something to respect, to take seriously, and to appreciate quietly." Even the kids seemed to acknowledge that feeling. It's almost like there was an announcement to be quiet.
I was wearing my typical flip-flops and standing on a marble balcony. The steps leading to the Tomb are marble, too. I went down several steps, crossing in front of a mom and her daughter, and the next thing I know, my feet slide out from under me and I'm sitting on my butt hearing my water bottle clanking on the marble steps, making so much noise everyone turned to look!
No, I wasn't embarrassed, no I wasn't hurt. I was amazed. Amazed, you ask? Yes, amazed. Amazed that no one laughed. Even the girl and mom who had just seen me fall didn't laugh. I would have! It had to have been funny to see! Actually, I did laugh and I was the one who fell! I just stood up as though nothing had just happened and walked away.
My dad's version of the story goes something like this: "I was taking photos, looking for the perfect shot, enjoying the peace and quiet when I heard all this racket - a water bottle by the sounds of it, falling on stairs. I thought, "yep, that's my daughter!'" Did he come to make sure I was OK? No, he knew I was fine. In my family I'm known for being graceful.
Shortly after that, another soldier comes out and says something like, "In respect of what you are about to see, please be very quiet . . . " Yeah, I missed that announcement :)
It was pretty cool, though, once I tried to keep it down a little!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment