Korean War Memorial

It is funny how strangers cross our paths without our even knowing that they will later somehow touch us.  My daughter took this photo at the Korean War Memorial.  It was Memorial Day week end and we just happened to be there as they started a prayer ceremony.  After the ceremony was done I found a spot of shade to look at my maps and see how far we were from several other points of interest.  I regrouped and met up with my daughter and we began to walk away.

It was hot.  It was about 90 degrees and high humidity.  This gentleman that my daughter didn't even realize she had photographed began to walk with us and talk to us.  He started talking about war.  He went into detail with sentences that began with "imagine what it's like."  He went into graphic detail about the horrors of war.  The last thing he said was "It changes your mind.  War changes your mind."  As we gently parted ways, my daughter said, "well I am almost crying."  I looked at her with tears in my eyes and said, "well I am crying." 

We stopped at a park near the Vietnam War Memorial.  We were in the vicinity of thousands and thousands of bikers who were there to ride in Rolling Thunder.  We were surrounded by vets and those honoring the fallen vets who have served our country.  I felt this overwhelming energy of peace.  I asked my guides how I could feel such peace in the middle of all of these war memories.  This is the answer they gave me.  "There is no greater peace force on the planet than what is coming from those who know first hand the experiences of war.  These are the greatest energy creators for a world of peace.  It is not the peace protestors.  It is those who have been in war and get how really awful it is."

Later in the day I visited with my daughter about the different energies of the different ages of war veterans.  I know generalities can never by made as a whole, but the evolution of consciousness can be observed.  The WWII and Korean War Veterans were proud.  They buried their emotions and covered their emotional wounds with pride.  Some say that they didn't get PTSD.  I think it is more like they didn't acknowledge they had it.  Back then life was more about survival than anything else.  The Vietnam Vets came home and to this day many of them still feel angry and rebellious.  The latest generation of war veterans aren't proud.  They don't feel the same mission that was felt by the WWII veterans.  They are the leading edge of healing PTSD for the first time on the planet.  Their attitude is much more like - "I went - I served - how to I get past this shit - let's go camping or hunting and get back to fun."  I mean absolutely no offense to anyone in writing this and I know generalities always have exceptions. 

I was also moved by the history around Abraham Lincoln.  I felt the conflict that he dealt with during the Civil War.  Why did I end up in DC on Memorial Day weekend?  Let me tell you that it wasn't planned.  I left the city altered with a sense of how consciousness moves forward.  I left with new hope and inspiration and fell in love with our capital city.  Can't wait to go back.  Blessings