It’s been several years now, but the memory of the wall is still very fresh. Our youngest daughter was still at home then, and came in telling us about something she’d heard that day; something about a moving wall. We’d just moved here from Texas, and I told her that we’d heard about it, but was surprised to hear it was coming to Cape. She had some literature that explained a bit about it, but mainly when it would be in the area.

A few weeks later, they started working on the site, laying in gravel walkways, lining off the area, and planning a section of the Mall parking lot to be set aside for visitor parking. I’d heard about the Viet Nam Veterans Memorial Wall, also called the Healing Wall, and couldn’t wait to see it.

When the display finally opened, it was bigger than I had expected. We were there as soon as I could get off from work, and was surprised to see so many people walking around. Some were in their old uniforms, or what parts of them they still had left. It seemed like that when our eyes met, there was a sort of common ground, an immediate comradeship, that surpassed race, color, gender, any of the nonsense generally associated with meeting a stranger. A friend said one time that if you weren’t there, it couldn’t be explained. And if you were there, nothing needed to be explained.

I stood in amazement as I looked at all the names, American Heroes, listed there. As I found some of the names, special to me, it was then that the full impact of the structure hit home. After so many years, I was finally able to face my feelings, to let go, to say good bye. At about that time, I started to notice all the flowers at the base of the Wall, letters, and even in one case, a medal left behind for a friend. And so many fingerprints left behind, trying to touch a loved one, just one last time. There were several of us walking around with tears running down our faces, family and friends quietly trying to give support, and the hardest of all to see; the ones left behind to find the names written there.

As I talked to one of the wives and her children, I came away with a sense of healing and well being I’d never had before. I won’t admit that I felt guilty about making it back, but there were many times I had wondered "Why Me?" It’s probably something I’ll never know, but I think right then, I started leaving it in The Lords Hands, to believe in His plan, and to know that He has a purpose for everyone, and everything. Maybe the Healing means something else to others, but to heal, and be able to go on is a wonderful experience. No matter what the problem is, there is ALWAYS a healing solution, with HIM.

Bob Shaw