Veterans Day

Having come back from Arlington National Cemetery on this Veteran's Day, I've come to realize just how genuine some fronts can be. We walked out of the Cemetery Metro stop with the cold rain beating down on our heads. On a day where families from around the country come to pay respect to their fallen loved ones, you would think the weather would give the visitors to the cemetery a break today- but that's how things work. As we began to walk through the cemetery, it was easy to note that there was an unusually small amount of people visiting today for such a holiday that is intimately connected to the site. Of course the rain acted as a deterrent, but it was still a bit depressing to see such a small turnout on a day when the country comes together to mourn our collective war dead. I was also shocked to find few genuine tourists, visitors who came because one "had to" when visiting DC, just like visitors to Paris "have to" see the Eiffel Tower.
The visitors that did come, however, were not just there to gawk at fancy tombstones. Many wore the traditional poppy on their jackets, and some wore the jackets and caps of their or their fallen relative's unit. The most genuine displays of honor and grief came from those there to visit their actual relatives. They never seemed to cry, but just stared, as if their gaze could resurrect their loved one. They were not there to perform an act of patriotism as some of the other visitors were, but genuinely sought to honor their loved ones. Viewing such honest acts of grief makes one appreciate human resilience to complete what for some are simply acts of maintaining front, but for others are acts of honor or love.