Flags, Fallen, Founders & Freedom

*ATTENTION* Watch this video before proceeding to the reading of this blog. *ATTENTION*

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZdTSSQ4cks



(Note - We took our own video, but due to the lame connection capabilities of our hotel's wireless internet, we had to resort to a youtube video - our apologies!)

Precision…the first thing that comes to mind after having seen the changing of the guard twice as well as 2 wreath ceremonies. The site – Arlington Cemetery, the final resting place for thousands upon thousands of brave men and women who gave their lives defending the multitude of stories that exist in the boundaries of Washington D.C. As you enter the cemetery between two iron-clad gates, you come first to a tourist/information center that can answer any questions or listen to any comments you may have regarding Arlington Cemetery. At first, you don’t really notice and can’t really see what lies between the dozens of pathways that snake through the hollowed ground. After walking 50 yards or so, the site becomes obvious. As far as you can see in almost every direction, white tomb stones bearing the name, military rank, and years lived of American soldiers spot the landscape. It doesn’t seem real at first that so many lives could have been lost due to war. And just when you think, after you have walked hundreds of yards, that the tomb stones could not go on anymore, you find yourself at the beginning of another plot of land, acres and acres wide with hundreds of more white engraved headstones. After attempting to wrap our minds around the enormity of this place, we found ourselves standing in a sun that was absolutely cruel to bake in at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldiers. But it was worth it. I’ll ask you to look up what these soldiers must go through in order to earn the privilege of standing guard at The Tomb. Once you realize the time and dedication required to earn this position, you cannot stand there and see those men as anything but true, genuine, 100% American heroes. The pride they must feel to stand at what is called “America’s holiest shrine,” cannot be matched. These soldiers will literally risk their lives to take their guard for the 30 or 60 minutes they are assigned to. If you don’t believe me, check out youtube and there is video of a soldier guarding the tomb in weather that we all would be ordered to find shelter in. They have stood at that place pacing their 21 steps back and forth for decades, every minute of every day of every month of every year. These men are deliberate with every single step they take, every turn of their body, every click of their heel, every time they change the position of their gun, and most importantly for them, every salute they give to the 3 soldiers that lie in peace at the feet of these guards. The precise nature to which these guards go about their duties is astonishing and I hope everyone gets to see it in their lifetime.

On a lighter note, we made 4 new friends in front of the National Archives Museum, 2 of whom are going to hook us up with a meeting of Reese Witherspoon and Owen Wilson. Okay, well, maybe we won’t get to meet them but we can say that we know 2 guys who have done special effects for these actors’ films, among many others. While waiting to go in to the museum, we were able to listen to these 2 men’s stories about their life in the fast lane with some of Hollywood’s top stars such as the two mentioned before, Tom Cruise, Samantha Mamba, Guy Pierce, Paul Walker and Vin Diesel. They were in town for 30 days shooting an upcoming sports-based film featuring Witherspoon and Wilson as the main characters. You heard it here first – I think that obligates someone reading this blog to take Rachel and I to the movie, since we’re so close to Reese and Owen…I mean, we’re practically good friends with them now. One second, Owen is calling now…

Okay, sorry. He was just inviting me to the premier but I told him I have a blog audience who I figured would rather take Rachel and myself, but I told him you all said hello. Anyhow, we also met a mother and her daughter who were visiting D.C. for a few days like we were. The mother was originally from Honduras and the daughter, an entering freshman in high school. They were fun to talk to and it made the time we were forced to wait outside go quickly.

Inside the National Archives Museum, a shoe exists that is unlike any other shoe I have ever seen. No, not the famous General George Washington’s shoe…no, not the shoe of our 16th President Abraham Lincoln…I’m talking about the shoe of a larger man. I am of course referring to the Big Aristotle, the Big Diesel, the self-proclaimed King of Facebook, Shaq “the Shaqteriffic” O’Neal. One of Shaq’s size 23 (which is 16 inches long!) Reebok’s is on display for the public to see – talk about a National Archive. The shoe is on display as part of an anniversary celebration for the N.A.M. As cool as that was though, the real reason we were there presided in the bottom level of the building in a rotunda that allows no flash photography, no leaning on the glass, and thanks to security guard Eddie, no loud obnoxious 8th graders. In this room, we saw the original Articles of Freedom, which include the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights. The Declaration while cool to see up close, is almost non-readable as the ink once used by the founders has nearly faded completely away. The Constitution and Bill of Rights however, still contain dark enough markings for the reader to see. It is indescribable the sense of awe you feel when looking at these documents that you know are the foundation for what we have today (or should I say, what we had years ago but seem to be fading away).

Our final stop on our final day in D.C. was where it all unfolds – where our taxes get raised, the pork gets spent, the corruption breeds, the debt gets larger, and the bold-faced liars are given an immense amount of ego-boost, the United States Capitol (I’m really not bitter, I promise *cough*). This building is larger than I originally thought and extremely well protected. As crazy as the politics are these days, the whole experience was truly amazing, one we will never forget. Without getting in to too deep of a thought for this one, I’ll just say this – we’ve kept track of what is going on in the world via the internet and television while we’ve been on this trip and I sure hope that somehow, some way, our leaders and many of our citizens get their acts together because soon if something does not change, none of this history, none of these stories, none of what is built in D.C. will matter. It’s a sad statement, but I believe a true one.
But the stories that all of these monuments and buildings are built on is the exact reason why I think it will all be okay – goodness will prevail.

From the Road Less Traveled,
Josh & Rachel

D.C. Day 2 Highlights: Changing of the guard, sunscreen, a shower at the end of the day, a decent hotel for shelter, honoring & remembering our nation’s heroes, our nation’s freedoms, new found friends (including Owen and Reese), sitting down, Chipper (our ’07 Ford Escape).