So Friday morning I awoke really early from a bad reoccurring family nightmare. Couldn't shake the feeling or the tears so I showered, planned a day of fun activities and set out with Eric to conquer them all. A metro trip to Union station and $80 later, we were on the top of an open-top tour bus cruising the streets of DC listening to the sounds of history beneath the wind in our ears. It's incredible the way history feels when you're experiencing it and not just learning about it. For the first time ever in life I had the feeling of being a proud American. Riding the bus looking at the capitol, the white house, the botanical gardens, and all the memorials made me feel connected to my country and appreciative of what I have. I really enjoyed it!
I enjoyed even more walking up the seemingly one million flights of stairs towards the Lincoln Memorial. As soon as my eyes beheld him, my first thought was of the movie Transformers when the Decepticons implemented their take over and the leader smashed Lincoln's statue and sat in his chair!!! Great scene... lol- lame- I know- but I'm a movie buff ::shrugs shoulders:: So after I had my movie moment and reeled in on the what was before I was captivated and in wonderment of the site. The articles surrounding him about our country touched me. But more importantly the timelessness of the writings reminded me that our forefathers lived with purposed and my living now isn't futile or hallow. I needed that affirmation!
From there we walked over to the new Martin Luther King Memorial Site that sits beautifully behind 4 rocks that make beautiful entry into the memorial. These rocks symbolize his past "a Mountain of Despair" and our today "a Stone of Hope". As you walk in, you walk towards to the back of his statue that sits before a beautiful body of water and overlooks the D.C and Jefferson Memorial. And then, finally, you see him. Dr. Martin Luther King sitting so poised, confident, intentional, and ready! The site it captivating and breath taking to anyone who knows what he stood for and what his presence represents in America today, especially black America. I stood there before him looking upon him with reverence, admiration, hope, gratefulness and love! Dr. king was a great man and I'm so happy this memorial now exists!
We were one of the first 20 people to walk in at their opening that day and one of the first 5 to behold his face. The rush of people there from all walks of life-young and old, black, white and purple people, rich and poor, established and un-established alike- was overwhelming but delightful. Even reflecting on it makes me marvel at what it means...
But on to the rest, we spent the rest of the day continuing to roam the city by bus and by foot. We stopped by the Madam Tassaud's wax museum for a little celebrity paparazzi fun, ate at Bar Louie's in China town, watched Colombiana and shopped until we just couldn't go anymore. i loved our day out in the city and I loved DC.
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