Sunday Destination: Arlington National Cemetery

Because Hudson, Jamison and I work Monday through Saturday from early afternoon to late evening we are unable to sight see the amazing places surrounding Baltimore during the weekdays. So when I have some spare time in the office I plan out our Sunday destinations! Because our only available days are on Sundays it has been difficult because we want to spend money on food/souveniers etc. So to compensate, we try and spend our time in the local free places and do our sight seeing that way in attempts of keeping the Sabbath day holy.

Our very first Sunday destination was at the Arlington National Cemetery. This is an enormous cemetery with acres and acres of land that holds the bodies of those who served our country and died in battle.

Although incredible does not seem to be the appropriate term, it is a very incredible and humbling experience to be able to walk through such hallowed grounds. For every tombstone, I see a family who suffered from the loss of a loved one. This same individual died for our country, for me, so I could have the freedom that I enjoy each and every day. It is truly a humbling experience to have been able to be here.

Also included in the Arlington National Cemetery is where President John F. Kennedy is buried along with his wife and children. This man died serving our country in a whole other way, he gave hope, and gave an incredible speech where he told the world that the United States was going to land on the moon. How I wish I could have been alive to hear that in person!

Also in the Arlington National Cemetery there is the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, that included in the name, represents those who died that we couldn't identify their remains.

At this tomb it happens to be guarded 24 hours a day, regardless if it is raining or stifling hot. We happened to get there as they were doing the 'Changing of the Guard'.

I battled the idea of expressing how I really felt about the 'Changing of the Guard' because I don't want to be judged by the feelings I felt for it and what I experienced. {But then I realized this is my blog where I can say whatever I feel, which happens to be a freedom I enjoy, and I'm going to share my thoughts anyways!}. With these thoughts I say this out of respect and in reverence for those who died for my sake. I feel like the 'Changing of the Guard' was a presentation/show for those who visited the cemetery. The soldiers on guard appeared as if this was a job, or a mundane task, that was needed to be performed every 15 minutes. While walking through the cemetery I realized that we can get so caught up with every day routines that we forget those individuals who sacrifice the most for us each and every day. It made me sad to see that even standing in front of the tomb that the spectators were watching the 'show' and not fully understanding the importance of why the tomb is being guarded each and every day.

I hope that from my own experience this last Sunday that I may never forget and remember those who sacrificed so much for each of us. What a humbling experience.