The Wall is many granite sections, solid, cool, and black,
A visitor may pause to touch a name.
It just seems that in the dark reflections hands are reaching back,
As if to greet and touch and hold the hands of those who came.

And every name’s a father or a husband or a son,
Or a daughter or a brother or a cousin to someone;
Or a name might be a classmate or a friend you may recall:
There’s nearly sixty thousand fallen names still waiting at The Wall.

–“The Wall” by Tim Murphy

Although a Social Studies Ed. major, I was never really interested in learning about the Vietnam War until I heard this song. It jolted me into the reality that someone’s husband, father, brother, sister gave their lives in that war. Last spring Stephen and I visited the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in D.C. It was sobering to join the “slow parade” of people passing by in honor and remembrance of those brave men and women.

Thank you, veterans of all wars, for your inspiring example of true patriotism and your very real sacrifices in order to keep America great.