We love to put up monuments.
That was my first thought after reading a blurb about the Washington Monument on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.
It took more than 35 years to build — a Civil War and money problems got in the way.
When it opened to the public in 1888, it was the tallest building in the world. Thousands came to see it.
Perhaps visitors were drawn to a building of such height, or they wanted to see what it was like to ride the steam elevator at the time.
Whatever the reason, you walk away with some memory of the man, George Washington, our first president. That is why we build monuments. To remember. To honor.
National monuments are important, just as history is important.
But now take a moment and look around you, at your monuments — the ones you have built.
They are there, standing as a testament to what is important to you — what you want remembered.
Do not stop at the obvious: those framed photos of family and friends. Look closer, around your house or where you work -- even in your car. What little monuments are lined up on the shelves of your life?
My home is full of monuments, starting with a wall of books. I display ticket stubs, subway passes, thank-you notes, favorite quotes. On my desk is a brass casing from my dad’s military funeral. There's much, much more.
Yes, we love to put up monuments.
The best monuments, I believe, are those I pointed out first. The people we love, preserved in photos and videos.
In fact, what better monument than our family, our kids — and the memories they will make?
And the monuments they will build.
I’m Lonny Cain, and that’s my perspective
