Finding Beauty Amidst the Ashes

grow again amidst the tons of lava and ash that spewed from that snow-capped mountain peak? Sadly, the human lives lost during that eruption could never be replaced either. However, trees and flowers now bloom on the hillsides; graceful deer, bears, elk, and many other wild animals have returned; fish are swimming in the nearby fresh water streams; butterflies and birds fly free against the azure blue skies. The landscape that had become an ugly, barren wasteland in the space of a few hours has come back to life. Yes, the beauty of nature around Mount St. Helens has returned, and as impossible as it seemed twenty years ago, one can again find "beauty amidst the ashes."

When we toured Washington D.C. last year, we saw many beautiful and historic sights. Our nation's Capitol was one of the highlights of our tour. It was a privilege to be able to attend a brief legislative session in the famous chamber where Congress meets to negotiate both national and international affairs. The Capitol rotunda left us totally speechless with its vast spectacular architecture. Beautiful landscapes and portraits painted by master artists of years gone by grace the huge walls of the rotunda and are simply breathtaking. Each day when we took the subway between Arlington, Virginia and Washington D.C. we had a fabulous view of the Pentagon. We thoroughly enjoyed our tour of the Space Center and the Smithsonian Institute. The Washington Monument could be seen standing proud and tall from most any vantage point as we visited the many other historical places that surround Smithsonian Square.

We couldn't help but stand in awe at the indescribable beauty of our National Cathedral, both inside and out. This year, it was with heavy hearts that we watched the memorial service held in that legendary cathedral after the terrorist attack. We cried together with the mourners, with our country's leaders, with our fellow Americans, and with the whole world. We also rejoiced as we saw and felt the unity of the various political and religious leaders who participated in that memorable memorial service.

After the memorial service was over, I sought solace for myself in my humble backyard flower garden, wondering how I would cope under such dreadful circumstances. During our travels last summer we also toured many gorgeous gardens along the way that I photographed. So I took out my photo albums to revisit those

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