I felt the need today to visit The Highground Veterans Memorial Park to see the traveling Vietnam and Global War on Terror traveling memorial walls. Dee Pollard Beasley-Schultz, Alyssa Beasley and Lucas Bowerman took me there. I slipped behind wall-related activities on the plaza to have my moments alone with the Wisconsin Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Fragments. As always, the breeze kicked up just at the right time to allow me to hear whispering voices from the muted, gathered chimes carrying the name of each Wisconsinite killed in Vietnam. Leaning on the retaining wall near Fragments, I peered below the plaza to see The Boot, the new boot-print-looking Persian Gulf War tribute. The Boot reminded me that my brothers and sisters in Vietnam were nowhere near the end of wars horrors, which have become known to a new generation. That connection made me wonder where the memorial park would fit the next tribute to humanitys madness. Only then did I go to visit the walls. The 58,286 names on the Vietnam memorial moving wall have become imbedded into my soul over the years. Even with that familiarity, seeing those names on that moving wall and on the permanent wall memorial in Washington D.C. always spin my emotions. Today was no different. The Global War on Terror wall brought new emotions with the reality of seeing so many names -- including Josh, Todd, Charles and my sons friend Johnny. A white board with names of the most-recently killed written in marker was a grim indicator that many more names might yet be added. Leaving there, my heart was heavy with sadness, anger, pride and healing. I so wish we hadnt gone there. Im so glad we went there.
Posted on: Fri, 15 Aug 2014 02:23:21 +0000
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