In April of 2007, I attended a National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO) Leadership Conference in Washington, DC. I wanted arrive a few days before the conference to go sightseeing. This would be my first trip alone in a big city. As the time neared there was a nor'easter headed in the same direction.
I released the idea that I could control the events on this trip and affirmed I would not be alone, but with my Higher Power. I would use the utmost caution and go with a positive attitude, grateful for whatever I would experience.
It had been a strange season for weather in Washington. The trees had bloomed early, bloomed again, and then storms had blown through stripping many of the trees. I was grateful to find some trees still blooming.
I released the idea that I could control the events on this trip and affirmed I would not be alone, but with my Higher Power. I would use the utmost caution and go with a positive attitude, grateful for whatever I would experience.
It had been a strange season for weather in Washington. The trees had bloomed early, bloomed again, and then storms had blown through stripping many of the trees. I was grateful to find some trees still blooming.
The first day I went to the monuments. Coming from 23rd Street and Pennsylvania Avenue, I would have missed the Vietnam War Memorial if I hadn’t been redirected. The monument was to the left and below ground.
The Vietnam War Memorial was touching. First, was the statue of 3 war-weary soldiers (right). Then as I followed the sidewalk, I was overshadowed by the seventy black reflective granite panels filled with the names of over 58,000 dead men and women (above). It brought back memories of my teens when daily news reports read the names of the dead.My life partner, a Vietman Vet, shared his experience serving in in the 173rd Airborne brigade which suffered 90% casualties He described the scene as body bags “stacked like cordwood”. This "conflict" began as the French trying to regain control over this country which they lost during WWII. The ensuing destabilization led to other struggles for power over this country. Read about it, it's interesting. We had begun to win the war when politicians, swayed by public protest, began to pull out. Today it is a communist country which has increased it's stature in trade, but most people are poor
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Next was the Korean War Memorial. I noticed the last soldier in this memorial depicting a group of weary riflemen climbing one of many hills in Korea had a robin perched on his head. 
A granite wall says it all – “Freedom is not free.” North Korea (a communist country) invaded South Korea and the USA stepped in to help them maintain their independence and democracy. This was another huge sacrifice for us in the fight against communism.
This picture (above) was especially poignant. This is the WWII reflecting pool. The stars on the wall are only half of the 400,000 casualties; the remaining ones are the reflections of the stars in the pool. The little girl is oblivious to the meaning here, but the man on the far right is wiping a tear from his eye.
This plaque reads: “Here in the presence of Washington and Lincoln, one the eighteenth century father and the other the nineteenth century preserver of our nation, we honor those twentieth century Americans who took up the struggle during the Second World War and made the sacrifices to perpetuate the gift our forefathers entrusted to us: a nation conceived in liberty and justice.”This mall of war memorials is a poignant reminder of the price we've paid to preserve our nation and to help other nations. They depict loss of lives that become overwhelming to absorb as you consider the families each loss affected. Our losses are small though when you consider these countries lost civilians and military personnel in the millions. Only on September 11th did we experience that kind of civilian loss.
Tulips blooming at the Arboretum.
Renewal of Faith in Humanity
Sunday before the conference, the nor’easter came in with a vengeance. The weather report accurately predicted rain through the night and around noon the next day. I waited for the rain to slack up then headed out for the Smithsonian American Art Museum.
Instead of carrying a purse, I clipped a small wallet to the waistband of my pants. In it I had $50 cash, 2 credit cards, my room keycard and my newly purchased Metro pass. I bundled up in layers of clothing to offset the 50 degree temperature and winds. I navigated the Metro and found the museum didn’t open for another ½ hour. I walked across the street to the McDonald’s for a fruit cup and discovered that somewhere between the Metro, the museum and McDonald's I had lost my wallet.
In a panic, I retraced my steps with no success and wondered if any of the homeless people I saw on the streets had found it. My mind raced as I assessed the full impact of my loss. I didn’t have my Metro passes or any access to money. I checked with the Metro personnel, but they hadn't retrieved it. They gave me a pass to get me back to my hotel. Back in my room, I calmed down, and said a prayer letting go of the results of my loss. I cancelled or froze my cards. I also contacted the Dept. of Motor Vehicles by e-mail since I would need ID to get back on the plane.
Since it was Sunday so all the banks were closed. I discovered Western Union doesn’t have any free standing offices. They have kiosks throughout the city, but you need a bank card to use them and mine was gone. There was a check cashing store, but they were closed. I was worried about how I was going to buy something to eat that night. Fortunately the hotel could cash a check for me up to $50. Luckily, my check book and had been safe in my room. With all my basic needs and problems now met, I went back to the museums.
The Smithsonian American Art Museum was overwhelming, so I focused on the Impressionism section. I walked into a room and saw a full size oil painting of Angel by Abbott Handerson Thayer in 1881 (look it up on the internet). The impact of this angel towering above me was breathtaking. I knew no matter what happened to my wallet, I would get through this situation just fine.
Instead of carrying a purse, I clipped a small wallet to the waistband of my pants. In it I had $50 cash, 2 credit cards, my room keycard and my newly purchased Metro pass. I bundled up in layers of clothing to offset the 50 degree temperature and winds. I navigated the Metro and found the museum didn’t open for another ½ hour. I walked across the street to the McDonald’s for a fruit cup and discovered that somewhere between the Metro, the museum and McDonald's I had lost my wallet.
In a panic, I retraced my steps with no success and wondered if any of the homeless people I saw on the streets had found it. My mind raced as I assessed the full impact of my loss. I didn’t have my Metro passes or any access to money. I checked with the Metro personnel, but they hadn't retrieved it. They gave me a pass to get me back to my hotel. Back in my room, I calmed down, and said a prayer letting go of the results of my loss. I cancelled or froze my cards. I also contacted the Dept. of Motor Vehicles by e-mail since I would need ID to get back on the plane.
Since it was Sunday so all the banks were closed. I discovered Western Union doesn’t have any free standing offices. They have kiosks throughout the city, but you need a bank card to use them and mine was gone. There was a check cashing store, but they were closed. I was worried about how I was going to buy something to eat that night. Fortunately the hotel could cash a check for me up to $50. Luckily, my check book and had been safe in my room. With all my basic needs and problems now met, I went back to the museums.
The Smithsonian American Art Museum was overwhelming, so I focused on the Impressionism section. I walked into a room and saw a full size oil painting of Angel by Abbott Handerson Thayer in 1881 (look it up on the internet). The impact of this angel towering above me was breathtaking. I knew no matter what happened to my wallet, I would get through this situation just fine.
Later that day, I returned to my hotel room and saw the message light was blinking on the phone. The message was from a man who had found my wallet. Excited, I called the number he left. He said he had found my wallet intact with the cash, but he was unable to get it to me and asked if I could get to his home in Manassas, VA. I found I could take the Metro to the end of the line in VA and getting a cab to his home. I had just enough money for the cab ride with the money in the wallet. My life partner wasn't pleased with my plan, but I assured him I would have the cabbie wait for me and off I went.
When I met my “angel”, he introduced me to his wife and children. Their home was modest, but it appeared money was tight. He could have said he found the wallet without the money, but he didn't. I couldn't solve all his challenges, but I later rewarded his honesty with the amount of money in the wallet.
Pandamania
It was Monday and my last day of tourism before the conference. The weather was miserable with hurricane force winds and intermittent showers. I moved into my room at the conference hotel and bundled up, set out for the Washington Metropolitan Zoo. I wondered if any of the animals would be out and thought pandas should like the cooler weather. Luckily, I was right. I turned a corner and saw the baby panda, Tai Shan. Most of these pictures are of Tai Shan. The last photo is the mother, Tian Tian.
It was a wonderfully magical trip full of miracles and good will. I went with no expectations, just hopes and wishes that were fulfilled beyond expectation. The weather was perfect for seeing monuments one day and pandas on another. It restored my faith in mankind and powers greater.
1 comment:
Great site Kitty! Nice job!
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