FDR Memorial + the Cherry Blossoms // Favorite Things

The Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial, located on the Tidal Basin in the District of Columbia, is one of my favorite spots in the city. During the Cherry Blossom Festival, it can be breathtaking. There are so many events each week in the District, it is impossible to catch them all. The one annual adventure that I make sure not to miss is this one. The memorial is beautifully done, and on a cold, gray, pre-festival day like yesterday, it inspires a peaceful, even introspective mood.

The outdoor memorial is comprised of statues (including one of Eleanor Roosevelt, the only Presidential memorial to depict a First Lady as well), water elements, tactile reliefs, and a long, meandering path through four outdoor "rooms," lined with red granite walls. Inspirational quotes, many of them focusing on peace, are chiseled on the granite walls, including this one, applicable today, I think.  "In these days of difficulty, we Americans must and shall choose the path of social justice, the path of faith, the path of hope, and the path of love toward our fellow man."