CircleswithinCircleswithinCircles

My life is a never ending series of circles that continue to close and close again. This time it involved driving my daughter and grandson from Cincinnati to Washington DC where they will begin a new life. For grandson, Joe, it was the first closing of a circle as he was reunited with the Dad who had gone ahead to start a new job. Joe will now struggle with learning to live in an new apartment in a new city with new friends. Still, it was a chance for him to be with his daddy and to explore his new world.

In April of 1967 I saw the cherry blossoms while an intern in DC. I saw them again one year later in Tokyo while on R&R from the war in SE Asia. This trip I saw them again, this time as a father and a grandfather. Circle closed.

I remember vividly the first time I saw the Viet Nam Wall. It was heart wrenching and, back then, there were lots of my comrades with whom I could weep. I had been back before this, and it was no less intense an experience. This visit, I went alone, without family , to visit this shrine.

It was Easter Sunday and, alas, time had thinned the ranks of comrades from that era. I had to weep alone. Circle closed.

Paddle safe...
DS