I consider myself very lucky to be visiting during the Cherry Blossom Festival, especially the 100th Anniversary. Being of part Japanese ancestry, it fills me with a sense of pride to see my culture and my favorite city coming together.
And the cherry blossoms are beautiful:
But today... Today was different.
I finally caved and said that Joey and I could go to the Postal Museum. We decided to walk there form the National Museum of American History, where we had spent most of our morning/afternoon. Several blocks from the museum, this caught my eye:
I was intrigued. We moved closer.
I had no idea the Japanese WWII memorial even existed. I mentioned before that the monuments here really move me, more than I think they do other people.
This one is completely different. Mike M Nasaoka pretty much summed up the way I feel about my heritage:
I'm not related to anyone who was in an internment camp. The Japanese side of my family didn't come to this country until after the war. But this memorial was so moving to me on a personal level. I think talking about WWII in school is an awkward experience for anyone of Japanese ancestry. Maybe it just was for me. I learned to put my head down during discussions of Pearl Harbor, and learned to bite my tongue when people say that Hiroshima was completely justified. I don't want to say it causes an identity crisis, but it's certainly an experience.
And it's nice to see those who sacrificed in the name of their country remembered.
I had to sit down after seeing all this. It was... A lot to take in. I am not used to seeing things like this. And thank God Joey just sat there with me and let me experience this.
I am proud of who I am, where I come from, and most of all the country that has allowed me this wonderfully lucky life.
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