Monday, March 24, 2008
A Break From Today
Here's hoping you all had a wonderful Easter weekend. And, if your kids were out of school last week, a great Spring Break. By the way, on this past Saturday, I saw a row of Easter Bunnies all marching backwards. Yes, it was a Receding Hare-Line! I can only use that joke once a year and there it is.
While much of the week, in our household, was spent watching basketball and eating, we did have one day when we actually got the teenagers out of bed before noon. Last Wednesday, everyone piled into the van, bound for one of the great historical resources in the nation which just happens to call Kansas City home: The National World War One Museum.
This was a very belated trip. Our youngest son, Harrison, has been wanting to go there since it opened. For those of you who have yet to visit, here's a friendly suggestion: GO! The opening film puts the pre-war world into perspective in a matter of minutes. From there, the exhibits and stories really make you feel a part of the drama and danger. Perhaps the most poignant display is the walk-way over the poppies representing those who died in the conflict. Our second oldest son, Taylor, discovered the poetry of Alan Seeger in one of the booths. Being a Bob Dylan fan, he immediately made the connection from Alan Seeger to nephew Pete Seeger making a lyrical link to that other time.
After walking through the museum, we went to the top of the tower. For many of the years we've lived in KC, that tower was crumbling. Not anymore! Now, my family was completely fine with the view. I was fine with the view. I was not so fine with the height! As I get older, being up too high bothers me. Frankly, being 5'10" is too high. I'm actually looking forward to the shrinkage that comes with age. After a quick walk around the tower, back-to-the-wall, like I was hiding from Peter Lorre in some old 30s movie, I settled into the stair-well. Naturally, our daughter took a picture of me huddled nervously away from the edge. The wall at the top of the tower is chest high so it is really not likely that someone could accidentally tumble. Maybe I'm just not confident in the whole "center-of-gravity" idea.
There are more tales of spring break to share, but, for now, just this idea: Take a trip back in time at the World War One Museum. It is a present present from our past that just may help us in the future.
While much of the week, in our household, was spent watching basketball and eating, we did have one day when we actually got the teenagers out of bed before noon. Last Wednesday, everyone piled into the van, bound for one of the great historical resources in the nation which just happens to call Kansas City home: The National World War One Museum.
This was a very belated trip. Our youngest son, Harrison, has been wanting to go there since it opened. For those of you who have yet to visit, here's a friendly suggestion: GO! The opening film puts the pre-war world into perspective in a matter of minutes. From there, the exhibits and stories really make you feel a part of the drama and danger. Perhaps the most poignant display is the walk-way over the poppies representing those who died in the conflict. Our second oldest son, Taylor, discovered the poetry of Alan Seeger in one of the booths. Being a Bob Dylan fan, he immediately made the connection from Alan Seeger to nephew Pete Seeger making a lyrical link to that other time.
After walking through the museum, we went to the top of the tower. For many of the years we've lived in KC, that tower was crumbling. Not anymore! Now, my family was completely fine with the view. I was fine with the view. I was not so fine with the height! As I get older, being up too high bothers me. Frankly, being 5'10" is too high. I'm actually looking forward to the shrinkage that comes with age. After a quick walk around the tower, back-to-the-wall, like I was hiding from Peter Lorre in some old 30s movie, I settled into the stair-well. Naturally, our daughter took a picture of me huddled nervously away from the edge. The wall at the top of the tower is chest high so it is really not likely that someone could accidentally tumble. Maybe I'm just not confident in the whole "center-of-gravity" idea.
There are more tales of spring break to share, but, for now, just this idea: Take a trip back in time at the World War One Museum. It is a present present from our past that just may help us in the future.
Posted at 4:06 AM
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