A doctor, two dentists, and a lesson on beauty

The plan was never to go to the monuments, the plan was to eat good food, drink more drinks than we probably should, laugh at the weeks misadventures and make a few memories our last night at the conference in DC. I am still not quite sure who made the decision or how we got there, but last night, somewhere around one in the  morning I found myself starting my Armed Forces Day Celebration in the heart of the National Monuments with two of the finest Army dentists and one of the Army's newest docs.

Because we were touring the monuments so late we had the freedom to explore alone, no busy tour groups, no noise or madness, it was just the four of us, it was one of the most peaceful moments in my life and it was happening in one of the busiest cities in the country.

As we walked through the Korean War memorial I focused little on the faces etched in the wall, but stopped to read the cards, look at the photos, and smell the flowers left behind. I ran my hand along the wall at the chance to touch something so beautiful that meant so much to so many and in an instant when I stopped to take it all in I looked to my right and there was one of the dentists, a young Captain, with his hand outstretched running his fingers over the wall exactly how I had. We both just stared at each other in silence and when he spoke he said, "you are really beautiful you know."  It startled me at first (it has been a long time since any man who was not my husband dare say such a thing) but I realized that it wasn't any sort of physical beauty that sparked his words, the beauty was in the way I was experiencing the world, the way I was choosing to experience that moment. I know that this is true because at the same time he saw beauty in me, I saw beauty in him for the exact same reason. This type of beauty is eternal, the beauty of an open and humble heart, a pure  beauty that allows someone to see something over and over again but still only be seeing it for the first time. 

 I think it has been a long time since I have been that kind of beautiful. 

When we reached the top of the stairs at the Lincoln Memorial I realized that the dentist and I were staring right up at Lincoln completely awe struck by this amazing piece of history, but the doctor, where was he? He was sitting on the steps next to Lincoln, not looking at him, but looking out over the water at the Washington Monument with him. It was as if they were two old friends catching up as they watched the ducks paddle by. For the doctor, the beauty was not in the the grandeur of the monument, the unchanging Lincoln statue, the beauty he sought was in sharing the same view, the same outlook as this historical giant. 

As for the other dentist, she gave me a refresher on feminine beauty, what beauty that comes along with confidence that you will not allow to be shattered looks like. As we walked through the statues and monuments of the historical men of our country she reminded me of the beauty  that exudes from a strong professional women, fighting for her place in a man's world. This is a special beauty that can only be seen by other women. 

If you have a chance to see the monuments, see them at night, when the rest of the world has gone to bed, when "the entire world is quietly at peace." You will see unimaginable beauty.