Barbara A. Wanchisen

There are so many memorials in DC, big and small, that many go unnoticed or are rejected as unremarkable and not worth investigating. There is a memorial that I "discovered" recently, one that I must have walked by countless times.
 
What's even weirder is that I was taken with birds perched way on high above the memorial as they sat on the curved, metal street lamps that light the area. I was thinking how rarely I look up as I walk the streets. So I stopped to snap pictures of those birds. I fancied them as holding court on life below and I was glad to peek into their world for a moment.
 
When I got home and looked at the pictures, the location was listed as The Stephenson Grand Army of the Republic Memorial. What was that? I never noticed that structure, not that day nor for years before that day.
 
It turns out that this is a monument dedicated to Dr. Benjamin F. Stephenson, a Civil War surgeon, who founded a fraternal organization for Union veterans. My curiosity was piqued! After spending some time investigating this man, I was reminded how much rich history is all around me if I would just stop a moment and look at modest statues and memorials.
 
So while I patted myself on the back for noticing those birds on high, I lost focus on what was right at eye level, what was always there if I would just have taken a moment to look. And I wondered if a tour company would find it useful to offer tours of less-visited sites in the city. I'd be interested. 

Two small children, a boy and a girl, were playing hide and seek in the Sculpture Garden. There were plenty of objects, not just the art, to hide behind.
 
"I'll count to 10 and then look for you!" The young girl said and then she promptly closed her eyes and turned to face the sculpture in front of her.
 
The boy ran quickly and found a great hiding place behind another sculpture as the girl soon began to count.
 
 "1…2…5…8...11!" She yelled with vigor after each number. Her creative counting technique struck me as so funny that I laughed out loud but if she heard me, she didn't care as she began to run around in circles looking for the boy.
 
She never did find him. Finally, the adult watching them helped the girl by pointing to where he was and she ran there and the two of them jumped around with pure glee when she "found" him.
 
Clearly, neither of those children cared about the game. They got to run around, count however they wanted to count, and hide or seek. That was enough. They were delighted and satisfied with themselves.
 
I walked away thinking that I should try hard to live life with that attitude!

The National Gallery of Art's ice skating rink brings people together in the winter months. For me, watching people tackle the ice is a highpoint of the year and I enjoy stopping by as often as possible.
 
On a recent visit, when it wasn't particularly crowded, I spied an older couple slowly and gently making their way around and around the rink. The woman was silently gliding with care and her partner skated backwards so he could hold her hand and lead the way. Periodically he looked over his shoulder to see where they were headed so he could keep them on course.
 
As someone who is afraid of falling on ice, I was delighted and maybe a little amazed seeing them out there. There was just something special, if not poignant, about this couple.
 
I wondered if their skating style mimicked the way that they handle challenging situations throughout life. That is, maybe they skillfully navigate the vagaries of life's terrain, with quiet confidence in each other, hand in hand. I hope so.

On Thanksgiving Day, people were milling about, mostly entering or leaving restaurants but some were just getting a good walk in on that food-focused holiday. I wandered past the Downtown Holiday Market on my way to the national mall and noticed that everything was locked up – or so it seemed.
 

One sole booth was opened and a man, wearing a thick flannel shirt and jeans, was inside moving around. He occupied an end booth, so I could get fairly close. I watched him moving things around inside his booth for a minute, his back to the world.
 
"Hey! Today's a holiday and you're working?" (I had to yell a bit to be heard.)
 
He turned around. "This is a perfect day to rearrange the booth." Then he paused. "I'm from Boston and I don't know anyone here so I might as well do this work now."
 
"Boston? You'll have to prove that. Let me hear your accent!"
 
He then went into what I can only call a Boston Rant to which I belly-laughed. I only wish I had written down what he said. Come to think of it, I'm not so sure I recognized all of the words anyway!
 
We then shared a few pleasantries and he encouraged me to return when the booth was open because he had the best hot chocolate in the world and, he added, "I'm not even kidding." (That made me smile.) Then I said I had to get going and he thanked me for stopping to talk with him for a while, that he really appreciated it. 
 
Even though I walk by the market almost every day, there always seems to be a reason for me to not stop, to not try the best hot chocolate in the world.  Maybe the brief exchange that we had on Thanksgiving Day was enough, perfect actually. Talking to someone who was alone on a holiday made my day and likely his, too. That's pretty good stuff to end with. 

The National Gallery of Art shows quirky films and nothing is quirkier (or better) than when they select a silent movie. It is especially great when they accompany the movie with a live piano performance as was the style some 100 years ago.
 
In the auditorium, the lights go down, the shades slowly close, a black and white movie appears on the screen with few intermittent words to read, and the music takes you to a different time and place.
 
This is what it was like when our ancestors went to see a silent film in the theater. Well, they probably didn't call it "silent" because who knew back then that there would one day be "talkies?"
 
Recently I saw "Her Wild Oat" with Ben Model as piano accompanist. I'd laugh at the slightest humorous event, at scenes or situations that I wouldn't even notice in a modern film. I appreciated this artistic piece within its time period and I wasn't alone. The large audience was riveted to the stage.
 
When the movie ended, the audience burst into vigorous applause, some stood in standing ovation, and I sat and watched everyone. There was joy in the air.

I didn't want to leave but I soon had to go back outside and face reality. And when I did, I didn't turn my cell phone back on nor did I check email for quite a while.

I can't recall ever seeing an outdoor sculpture get a serious cleaning. If I thought about it at all, I would have thought that rain basically does the work. 
 
In the National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden, there resides an almost 10 ton sculpture called Aurora, by artist Mark di Suvero.  On a given day, many people stop and appreciate it for a few moments and then move on as there is a lot to see on the grounds.
 
But on this particular day, there was a crew with a ladder, hoses, brushes and whatnot standing on the sculpture providing a deep cleaning. I wasn't thrilled to see them standing on the actual art piece while they worked, it seemed disrespectful in a way. But I have to say, they looked almost like they were part of that sculpture!  (And I guess 10 tons makes it solid for human weight of course.)
 
Many people stopped to watch them and then would tarry a while, commenting to each other (I suspect about the spectacle of the cleaning process). I stood at a distance and just enjoyed the novelty of this. What a special and kind of beautiful thing to witness. And truly, those workers brought the sculpture to life, albeit in a quirky way.

Tourists dragging suitcases are just part of the background in downtown DC. But sometimes a particular tourist will stand out.
 
A small, middle-aged woman had just exited the metro station, toting a suitcase that surely was heavier than she was and almost as tall. She stopped and leaned on her bag to look at her cell phone and would look across the street, then back at the phone, then across the street and so on.
 
I stopped. "Do you need help? Are you lost?"
 
"I think I'm ok. The hotel seems to be just a couple of blocks from here," she said. "I'm in town for the NA Conference."
 
I looked at her quizzically and she said, "Narcotics Anonymous. There will be thousands attending – I am excited to meet as many people as I can."
 
I nodded. "Well, the convention center is not far from here," I said as I gestured in its direction.
 
She smiled and then again looked across the street. "I am from the west coast and have never been to DC. We don't have buildings like those!"
 
I looked where she was looking and of course, nothing looked special to me.
 
"Welcome to the nation's capitol! You'll be seeing a lot of buildings like that for sure!"
 
"Thanks for being so friendly – I really appreciate it," she said as she waved and dragged that enormous bag down the street. I watched her go, hoping that her convention would be everything she wanted it to be, and that she would find time to see more of the city.
 
And I would try to stay alert and be appreciative of the unique beauty of my daily environment.

I love classical music and so it's no surprise that I frequent orchestra performances at the Kennedy Center. A creature of habit, I sit in a certain section of the music hall, enjoy the familiarity of surroundings, and feel any tension disappear as the performance gets underway. Perfect.
 
But at a recent show, there were no seats available in my favorite section so I wound up sitting in the second row of the orchestra level, knowing the sound wouldn't be as good and that I would be very/too close to the stage.
 
However, once I found my seat I became taken with this new bird's eye view. The musicians were just feet away from me as they organized themselves, tuned their instruments, and set up their music sheets in anticipation of the performance soon to begin. I watched them with interest. I felt like an insider.
 
Almost immediately, one of the cellists caught my attention.
 
He had a kind of artsy, mostly black canvas bag hanging from the neck of his cello, resting between the cello and his body, discretely hidden from general view. I never would have seen it from my usual seat. (See picture, shown above.) 
 
I wondered what was in that bag, why he would need or want it hanging there. When I later googled "accessories for cellos" I only found mostly large items such as a case, strings, bow, and endpin rests. But rosin and polishers were also listed. Maybe he carried rosin, I don't know, or maybe he carried a snack, breath mints, or cigarettes!  
 
For whatever reason, this quirky bag of the musician captured my attention and provided a new light on the show. I normally think of an orchestra as a group, a literal synthesis of individuals working together. But while the whole of the orchestra is definitely greater than the sum of its parts, the parts are interesting and can be charming in their own right if we look through that lens too.

Several years ago, a friend asked to meet at the Mary Livingston Ripley Garden on the national mall. I had no idea where it was, which seemed weird as I had walked that area frequently over the years, plus had repeatedly visited the buildings nearby. (This garden is nestled between the Hirshhorn and Smithsonian Museums.)
 
When I walked into the garden, immediately I was entranced by the lushness of the trees and the variety of flowers in full bloom. The garden path snaked around revealing a much larger garden than the entrance portended, much to my delight.
 
Dedicated on May 25, 1988, the inscription on the welcoming plaque says: "This garden was created by the Smithsonian Institution Women's Committee to honor their founder and friend."
 
Soon after that initial encounter, visiting the park became a regular stop for me. I appreciate watching (and smelling) the naturally evolving landscape, seeing the birds flying around the fountain, and sitting a while to take a break. Plus what a treat to sometimes talk to the knowledgeable and enthusiastic staff, busy keeping the grounds in tip-top shape.
 
I'm extremely grateful to the women who imagined - and then realized - such a special way to honor their friend Mary. So many people benefit from their efforts and surely will continue to do so for generations to come.

Well done, ladies! 

On a brilliantly sunny Monday morning, I approached the corner of 7 & H Streets, just missing the WALK signal. There was a crowd growing there, waiting to cross. As I removed my jacket, a woman pleasantly said, "Hot day today," and I agreed, nodding.
 
"I hope the weather is this good on Wednesday - it's my birthday," she said.
 
"Do you have plans for a nice birthday?" I asked. (I assumed that she did.)
 
"Not really. This is always a bad week every year. My husband died several years ago today." She paused. "And my grandchild died two days after my birthday."
 
"This is terrible!" I turned to really look at her. She was no longer a stranger.
 
"That child was only seven months old."
 
We crossed the street and paused because clearly she was about to go down H Street and I was headed up 7th. I looked at her sad and dazed expression a moment and, as she started to walk away, I said, "I will think of you on Wednesday, wishing you a happy birthday." She thanked me and disappeared in the crowd.
 
And so our (maybe) five-minute relationship played out.
 
I think of this woman from time to time, reminding me how we never know what anyone else is going through. And despite the frustrations of daily life, I need to be more patient and yielding as I walk among strangers on the street.