Walking through Arlington National Cemetery with the wind tugging at my hair, I couldn’t believe how beautiful our nation’s capital was. Cherry blossoms filled the cerulean sky and the marble tombstones shone ivory white in the dazzling sun. The cemetery was crowded- people stopped to gasp at JFK’s eternal flame and school groups chattered wildly. The air was filled with excitement, yet I could feel a sense of respect. Family's gathered to mourn their loved ones, strangers lay flowers near the grave of Thurgood Marshall, and hundreds of people stood in silence as the guards marched in front of the Tombstone of the Unknown Soldier. I looked around in awe: in this moment I saw before my very eyes the history of two hundred years and the remaining memories of those who gave their lives to protect us. In that short hour, my view on the United States changed completely.

Don’t get me wrong, I have always been proud to be an American. I’ve journeyed to Yellowstone and seen the wonders of our country. I’ve spent my Summers in the nowheres of Michigan, where blue-collared workers live off of the land and ride motorcycles, barefoot, to one-room schoolhouses. I’ve feasted on fast food, and cheered avidly for the New England Patriots. And yet, there was something I never quite grasped. Each day in the news I would find stories of school shootings, discrimination, cut funding. I watched from the sidelines as our nation was torn in two during the 2016 elections, and viewed videos of protests turned violent. I guess that’s why going to Washington DC surprised me so much: I had never really felt that sense of togetherness. There, walking around the beautiful architecture, among the great memorials, and near the brightly colored tulips, people with MAGA hats walked next to people with Impeach Trump hats. People came from all over the country, and somehow everyone seemed to fit in. It was extremely powerful, all these different people working in unison to maintain our country's pride. It made me feel small, but at the same time important, since I could see that every single person added to our nation, from the custodians in the Capitol Building to the guards that encompassed the White House.

At the end of my trip to DC, my relationship with America had grown a hundred times stronger. I felt proud and amazed at the strength of our capital, and, likewise, at the strength and beauty of our country.