Thursday
We went to the Mt. Rushmore Memorial today. The weather prediction was cool and cloudy
with rain in the forecast. Fortunately, we were forehanded enough to bring
jackets and a few clothes suited to this weather than the 90+ degree days we
had before this. It started sprinkling
on the way there and we got our first glimpse of the faces as we passed a
historical turnout. By the time we got
to the Memorial fog had settled in and we walked the Avenue of Flags through a
heavy mist. We spent most of our time on
the lower level with the exhibits that show the creating of the sculpture, went
back to the upper level to peruse the gift shops and get some lunch which
seemed fearfully expensive to us. The fog remained the rest of the morning, as it continued to rain more heavily. As we
were leaving the rain let up, the clouds rolled away and we saw the faces wet with
rain and we went on our way, noting the clouds hugging the tops of the hills.
Jim has never seen the faces at night so we planned to go if the weather was nice, i.e. not raining. By the time we got back to our hotel after visiting Rushmore Cave,
the clouds were rolling away, the sun was out, and in the stillness we were the
warmest we'd been all day. As we drove up,
up again, the fog again made it’s presence known and as we walked from the
parking lot to the amphitheater, the program was beginning and that Avenue of
Flags seemed interminable as we hurried along. The faces were obscured again
with fog and we wondered if we would see the faces lit up in the dark at all.
It is an inspiring program, telling the story of the visions of the four
presidents represented there and their role in the creating and building of
this country. It is a story that reminds
of us of why we should be proud of our country and the role it plays in the
world. Yes, it’s a story that touches only the highlights, good and bad of this
country’s history. Yes, there were
things done in the history of this country that we look on with regret. But, do any other nations have a people where
the majority of this look with great pride on the country they call their
own? These men, and others mentioned in
the tribute to the United States of America had a vision of what America could
be, and it was up to the people to make it so.
These men wanted this country to be “for the people, of the people, by
the people…." Abraham Lincoln. As JFK said, “ask not what your country
can do for you, but what you can do for your country” That program made me proud to be an American,
and the tribute to those who give their lives to defend this country is a
reminder, that if we want to have the freedom our forefathers envisioned, we
will need to remember JFK’s words.
