Rolling Thunder ’09, Washington, DC by Nicole Aguirre
Memorial Day weekend is one of my favorite times of the year in DC. With so many monuments dedicated to remembering those who have lost their lives defending our country, our city fills up faster than the Titanic with people of all different ages, from all around the country, from all walks of life. It’s a time when people put aside their differences and focus on what they have in common, a love and sense of patriotism for our great nation.
This week’s photo shows two people from two walks of life, brought together by a park bench and some shade. According to the photographer (who had to wait for a gap in the pedestrians to get this shot), these two were “leaning into each other most of the time” as they watched the Rolling Thunder rumble by. What I love about this photo is that it makes the viewer wonder, wonder what the couple talked about all afternoon, wonder what war memories each of them has, wonder how their lives have differed to this point and even wonder how they’ve been the same. As someone who was born on the 4th of July and longs for the days when our country’s values were intact, this photo is moving and reminds me that there is a lot we can learn from our elders. Great capture, Nicole.
