I was in Washington DC over the 4th of July holiday and man was it ever hot. The heat index on one of the days was 104. Ugh. My discomfort was marginalized when I saw something very sad. On my way back to the hotel after the fireworks display by the Washington Monument, I saw in the shadow of the IRS building no less, homeless people sleeping on benches. Not just one, but many. I saw a young woman, who appeared to be college aged, sleeping in a doorway. How could I complain when all I had to do was walk a few miles back to my nice cozy bed? I couldn’t.
The next day I visited the Holocaust Museum. How humbling. I know people who believe it was a grand hoax. I don’t believe that for one second. Any time I ever think my life is hard, I must remember what those poor people lived through and in millions of cases died from. Death based on pure hatred and prejudice. May God protect us from ourselves and may He strike down anyone who would ever attempt to do such a heinous thing in the future.
I plan to return to DC again in the fall when it is not so hot. I will go see things I missed this time around and will return to the Holocaust Museum to take it all in a second time. It was and will be time well spent.
"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it."
- George Santayana
