My Earliest Memory of a Memorial

Charley Warble

My first real memory of going to a memorial is from the 5th grade when my school went on a class trip to Washington DC. We went on tours of all the major monuments in the area, and I have memories of all of those as well, but the most potent memory I have from the trip is when we went to the Holocaust Museum. I specifically remember walking through the museum seeing the carts that families would be taken in to the concentration camps, and thinking about how scared they must have been cramped in the small cars. Hearing individual stories of Jewish people who lived through or died in the holocaust was extremely striking to me. I remember this was the first time I felt like I had a grasp on the emotional torment, understanding the fear and confusion the people must have felt at the time. Right before we exited the museum, we walked through a room full of shoes from people who died in the Holocaust. I almost began to cry looking at all the shoes, because it became so personal that these human beings had possessions and lives and were just like me. Especially seeing smaller sized shoes knowing those children passed away. The whole experience was so moving and potent that I think I will carry those memories forever.