Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia, United States.
The cemetery is a breathtakingly beautiful yet haunting and sobering experience.
Men and women who served in several wars, to include the American Civil War, WWI, WWII, Korea, Vietnam, Afghanistan, and Iraq, have been laid to rest here. Others here also include military chaplains, nurses, Civil War contrabands, and countless memorials to those who never returned.
The eternal flame marking the final resting place of American President John F. Kennedy and several family members.
JFK and President William Howard Taft are the only American presidents buried at Arlington.
The cemetery also contains the Tomb of the Unknowns, or the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, and many military memorials as well as ones to those from the Space Shuttle Challenger and the victims of the 9/11 attack on the Pentagon.
Arlington House--the former estate of Confederate General Robert E. Lee and his wife. The half-mast flag indicated there was a funeral the day I visited.
It was a sobering reminder to see the family at the grave, to hear the gun salute, and to feel the chills that 'Taps' evokes as it runs down your spine.
But the budding new life the flowers reminded of the cycle of life...
...while the gravestones reminded of the sacrifices given for the next generation.
For more information on visiting Arlington National Cemetery.
