Every Picture Tells a Story: Tomb of the Unknown Soldier — Arlington National Cemetery (1990’s)
EVERY PICTURE TELLS A STORY:
TOMB OF THE UNKNOWN SOLDIER / ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY (1990s)
Strangely beautiful, with its perfect columns and regimented rows of white marble, each tombstone marking a life, beneath all the serenity of so many hopes and dreams buried forever, one might believe this peaceful place never changes. But it does change. It changes us by reminding us.
On this Memorial Day, remembering those who lost their lives and gave the ultimate sacrifice seems appropriate.
Over time, we become indifferent to things around us. We pass by and ignore popular attractions. This is especially true for locals who see the same sites daily. As weeks and months and years pass, it’s just not a big deal anymore. Places that attract curious visitors barely get noticed by others.
This is certainly true living in popular tourist destinations, including Las Vegas where I’ve lived for the past 20 years, which quickly jades anyone’s sense of perspective. But it can also be true for any city, or any place. For instance, New Yorkers pay no attention to the Statue of Liberty. Most New Yorkers can’t even see it. Same with other places, too. When I lived in Washington, I walked by or drove past the White House nearly every day. That’s one of the most famous and important buildings in the world. Yet, if you live there, you don’t really notice it, or think much about it.
However, there’s an exception to all this. One special place always affected me in a very emotional way. Each and every time I visited, I came away with something different about that experience. I never took the place for granted, nor assumed there was no reason to go again because I’d seen it all before. That special place is Arlington National Cemetery.
Arlington National Cemetery may seem the same if you go, and then go back again later. Strangely beautiful, with its perfect columns and regimented rows of white marble, each tombstone marking a life, beneath all the serenity of so many hopes and dreams buried forever, one might believe this peaceful place never changes. But it does change. It changes us by reminding us. It gives a different perspective, one we don’t see every day. I can’t explain it. You just must experience it for yourself. Hopefully, everyone can and will at some point in their lives. I think every American should visit this place at least once.
In the mid- to late 1990s, we lived on the south side of the Pentagon, a neighborhood called Crystal City, nestled in between the large military complex and National Airport. Directly on the opposite side of the Pentagon was Arlington National Cemetery which rests of several acres and stretches all the way up to the Memorial Bridge. The Washington Metro even has a stop at the cemetery, so it’s easy to get to.
I’m not what most people would call overly patriotic. So, most who know my politics might be surprised by my deep sentimentality for that special place. I’m sure Arlington National Cemetery and places like it mean for more to others, who knew brothers in arms and family members who are buried there, and I don’t pretend to match that level of reverence, but only to amplify it. When out-of-town guests visited us, we often accompanied them to Arlington National Cemetery. Sure, we’d seen it before. Many times. It just seemed like the right thing to do. Paying respects. Sometimes on clear days. Other times on rainy days. For those who rest there, every day is night.
The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is probably the most popular “attraction” at the cemetery (that word doesn’t seem right), aside maybe from the Kennedy graves (JFK, RFK, etc. are buried upon a slope overlooking the city of Washington, which is directly across the river). The Tomb was (and is) always guarded by an immaculately tailored sentinel, which changes shifts every hour/half hour (depending on the time of year). It’s a mesmerizing and deeply moving event to watch and witness, so simple, so pure, yet so powerful. I dare you to watch it and not come away with a lump in your throat. It gets me every time.
I don’t remember which year this photo was taken (probably the late 1990s), or who I was with. I’m not sure any of that matters. Some moments are, well, timeless.
Unlike many touristy areas, Arlington National Cemetery commands universal respect and reverence. Every visitor seems to get it, and understands it. One of the surprising things about Arlington is the large percentage of foreign people (international visitors) who come. I’m not sure what this says or means, but it was always remarkable to see people who in some cases came from lands where those soldiers died, paying their respects. I visited probably a dozen times and always saw people at their best. I don’t know what they were like other times, but those solemn grounds do something to (and for) the soul. Something good for the soul.
In remembrance of this Memorial Day 2023.
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Note: We held a garage sale recently and I’m going through lots of stuff, including old photographs which I’ll be sharing in the coming days and weeks. My philosophy is — a photo does no good tucked away in an album or stored inside a box. A great photo should be shared, especially when it tells a story. Quoting Rod Stewart, “every picture tells a story (don’t it?).” This is Day 6 of the Every Picture Tells a Story project.
