On 8/28/2010 I stepped onto the grassy area to the east of the Lincoln Memorial, in Washington, DC. The time was 6:30 am, and I was with my sister and two of my best friends. Thousands of others were walking from buses, cars, and the metro to gather for the Restoring Honor Rally organized by Glenn Beck.
We came prayerfully, peacefully, positively, and with a grand feeling of camaraderie. We came without political posters, but with American flags; without rancor, but with resolve to better ourselves and our families; without despondency, but with faith that with God's help we could restore America to the vision of the Founding Fathers.
At 7:30 am there were 100,000 people gathered, at 8:30 there were 300,000, and at 9:30 there were 500,000. The crowd filled in all the area along the reflecting pool, and stretched from the Lincoln Memorial to the World War II Memorial--a distance of 3/4 of a mile. To the east of the WWII Memorial there were thousands of people sitting on the hillock surrounding the Washington Monument.
With open hearts and minds we came to honor the brave, strong, and generous--not only in the military, but everyday Americans among us who live their lives with faith, hope, and charity.
In my sleep the night before the rally, I'd had many dreams of what the content of the rally might be. One image stood out clearly and remained with me upon waking. It was of a young boy scout standing before us and leading the assembled throng in the Pledge of Allegiance. As the rally began, and a young boy scout approached the speaking platform, my tears came freely. The Pledge of Allegiance from the lips of 500,000 patriots was stunning.
That day we also honored the great civil rights leader, Dr. Martin Luther King, whose "I Have a Dream" speech was delivered on 8/28 on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. Dr. King prayed that one day we would not judge people by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character. Amen.
The feeling of that day permeated my heart, as I know it did the others in attendance. It was a life changing experience.
After the rally my sister and I walked the grassy areas where the event had occurred. 500,000 people and there was not one piece of garbage, scrap of paper, or plastic water bottle left to litter the grounds. It may seem like a small thing, but actually, what does it say about content of character?
1 comment:
What an amazing experience! Beyond the purpose of the rally I'm impressed by the no garbage left behind factor. I get so tired of sports events, parades,bus stops, theaters,picnic areas, etc. that look like garbage dumps after groups, large or small, have convened there.
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