Walking the National Mall

Today I walked all around the national mall. It was hard. It is big. And I was tired.

I am backdating this quite far with regrets. But I do remember some things about it worth sharing.

authoratative power

Inside the Lincoln Memorial, a young child was beginning to make noise. Now this place was packed. At least a hundred people inside and on the steps the whole time. The sun was getting down and people were filed in trying to read and take their pictures. I glanced over to the child and saw a park ranger person lean over make a gesture and the child shut up immediately. I was impressed!

So when I saw the man flaoting looking free I asked what he said to the child. The park ranger said nothing. He only put his finger to his lips and made eye contact. I was bewildered with delight. How adorable.

The ranger claims sometimes all you need is someone other than the parent who likes like authoratitive to get a child to behave. The uniform, his stern look.

historical context

I also remember thinking a lot about what good this all was. I really apprecitated learning the history. Context is queen right? And how little I know of the greater human context of this society and species. History used to have this vaneer on it. A false sense of distance. When truly, all the art I see is no different than the art I make only other than the time. Normal people being who they are compelled by their creativity made things which somehow survived sometimes for thousands of years.

dwarfed

Another thing I felt strongly was being dwarfed by the buildings. How large they are! I truly did not anticipate how small I would feel walking around it all. So many of the buildings are these huge stone monuments.

Something about why they are built that way. What they represent. Why they should be built that way.

I lightly pity those who get used to it. I am sure I would eventually if I lived there.

conclusion

I hope I have more time in DC in the future to truly explore all the free stuff this place has to offer. I want to spend a week or more soaking it all in. With a purpose in mind. And to glean something valuable. I will be back.

DC is also less militaristic than I thought it would be so I felt safer being there than expected.