(1) Mount Vernon, where I participated in placing a wreath upon George Washington’s grave. My daughter read aloud for our tour group Washington’s Prayer for our Nation. I got to brush my fingers across the cover of his tomb, giving me a deep sensation of his greatness and his presence.

(2) The Library of Congress, where I was able to view the detailed and colorful ornamentation and architecture of the building. The statements of profound wisdom that were inscribed about the interior of the building were both inspiring and uplifting.

(3) The Liberty Bell. It was much smaller than I had pictured, but it left me with a feeling of hope and security for our nation’s ability to pull together, to survive, and to make it’s own successful future.

(4) The Lincoln Monument was a place of comfort and peace. There must have been hundreds of people sitting on the steps that led up to it, and the interior was a place of reverent awe. It was a place I have wanted to visit since I was a young child. Almost as much as to be considered a personal pilgrimage. It gave me a profound sense of his greatness and ability as a leader and a person.