Daily Reflection: Monday

Today we visited Arlington National Cemetary and the U.S. Capitol building. The cemetery had lots of things in it including lots of graves from many American soldiers and presidents. This meant however, that there was a lot of walking involved and no one likes that. The U.S. Capitol had cool stuff too with movies and tours and the like.

The Arlington National Cemetery is the mass burial ground for thousands and thousands of American soldiers and high ranking military officials and some presidents. The cemetery is also known for the famous changing of the guard service that is done every 30 minutes. We did watch the service and it is so cleanly rehearsed and executed that it is hard to tell if the guards are human or not. The U.S. Capitol is where the Senate and House Of Representatives meet to discuss and vote on manners of great importance to the nation. The place also houses many statues of presidents and a large rotunda filled with loads of statues and other things.

What I liked the most about the day would have to be the Capitol, there was a lot of cool stuff there. Not only that but after being at the cemetery all day in the beating heat it was nice to be inside with air conditioning. The Capitol also had lots of cool history and myths along with real history. It's strange to think how much the building has changed over the years. We didn't get to see the actual room where the Senate meets but that's understandable.

What I disliked most about the day was all the walking and the beating heat of the outside. It really began to wear me down over the course of the day. A lot of other people can relate I'm sure. The cemetery was cool and all, but I wish we could've visited on a cooler day than that. Well, the cemetery was kid of depressing in itself. The quietness and reverence is unmatched anywhere else I've been.

I learned from the cemetery how costly war is and how many lives it takes. Everyone knows this already of course but to actually see it in itself. Every single headstone was a person, each with their own beliefs worries and desires. It's very strange to think about the scale of that. That makes me realize how much we should try to avoid war unless absolutely necessary.

These places affect my life in many ways. They affect all of our lives. The Capitol holds the Senate that decides the fate of the nation. The cemetery holds the grim reminder of the real cost of war. These two things impact all of us every day. Whether we know it or not.