Washington, DC is known for political and roadway gridlock, especially during the icy and snowy days of winter. We can’t compare our winter suffering to that of Boston, but this winter was unrelenting in its cold and disruption. And then came Spring!
Glorious, majestic, awe-inspiring. Pick a positive word and it’s likely to fit. For those of us fortunate to live in the Nation’s capital, the traffic jams and crowds are a small price to pay when you live in the most beautiful springtime city on the planet.
It really doesn’t matter that I have books to finish and discussions to prep, I’m drawn downtown to join visitors from around the world oohing and aahing at every blossom. 
Walking shoulder to shoulder with locals and visitors from every imaginable locale, it’s easy to forget that almost daily there is some security incursion in the news bringing new concerns about safety. Last Saturday strollers and walkers, both human and mechanical, moved along the pathways like a gentle wave. Every language imaginable could be heard as family groups enjoyed the blossoms and stopped to digitally capture the scene.
When I think about it, the landmarks that serve as destinations around the mall were erected to remind us that individuals led, and continue to lead, the U.S. through extraordinarily difficult times and we are still here. Cherry blossoms frame the Jefferson and Lincoln Memorials, the FDR and MLK, Jr. memorials are nestled within them. The pathways to the World War II, Korean War Veterans, Vietnam Veterans War Memorials are filled with veterans and their families, school children and foreign visitors, some taken aback by the magnitude of sacrifice represented in bronze, granite and concrete.
At the opposite end of the Mall is the Capitol, touched twice in the last week with tragedy and protest. On a beautiful Thursday it remained open and accessible, a commitment to ensuring that (almost) nothing and no one will keep the Capitol from the people. If you have never explored the Capitol grounds, do it. Below is a picture of me in the grotto on the west side of the Capitol. Despite the scaffolding, the grandeur of the setting remains.
Our next stop was the U.S. Botanic Gardens, long a favorite respite from the crowds and noise in the nearby museums. Year-round the conservatories are a haven filled with seasonal flowers and an amazing array of orchids and other tropicals. Watching young teens wander the pathways is a real treat. The beauty of the surroundings, the incredible colors and scents, seem to strip away that high school edge and bring back the wonder they share with nearby toddlers in strollers.
But I must admit my favorite area is the outdoor gardens, unknown to many locals. A genuine oasis where the rhythms of nature play out with the seasons. On this spring day the horticulturists were prepping the pathways, making sure that winter’s ravages were removed. The fountain was being readied for the season. In just a few weeks crops and herbs will appear, along with an amazing array of roses and local perennials. You can bet I’ll be back to see them.
Just south, across Independence Avenue are two additional destinations. Bartholdi Park, with its classical fountain and abundance of flowers, bears a great resemblance to the graceful gardens of Europe.
Washington’s newest memorial was the final stop of the day. In late October, the American Veterans Disabled for Life Memorial was dedicated in sight of the Capitol. Powerful, wrenching, yet inspiring, the plaza with its sculptures, quotations and fountain is an extraordinary reminder of the enduring price many veterans and their families pay for their service. A wall holds quotes from George Washington and Dwight D. Eisenhower, the two presidents who actually commanded the Nation’s soldiers. The more simple statements of disabled veterans and family members speak to their sacrifices and endurance. 
It’s so easy for those of us living in the Washington area to take for granted the beauty and history in our own backyard. On April 15 we marked the monetary price we pay for our citizenship. The monuments and plazas remind of the greater price paid by many for us to enjoy our freedoms.
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