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Washington Monument

Today I am in Washington D.C. It was a beautiful day and I decided to spend it walking around the monuments. I haven’t been to this part of D.C. since my 8th grade field trip.

I first stopped at the Washington Monument and then leisurely walked my way over to the Lincoln Memorial. It felt good to be on my feet, in the fresh air. My mind was thinking a lot about all the places I’ve been and the stories I have heard.

I eventually made my way to the capitol. I snapped some photos and then just stood there for a long while. I’d spent the last 41 days traveling through nearly 20 states hearing the most amazing, heart wrenching, frustrating and inspiring stories. I kept looking at the capitol and thinking now what? Right here is where all the states come together. This place is the merging of all these places I’ve been. What do I do with all I’ve heard? There are people in that building that make important decisions, decisions that can directly affect the people that I met.

Eventually, I turned around and started to walk, I don’t know where really. And then I noticed a woman approaching with a name tag. Across the bottom of the tag on a ribbon it said “SURVIVOR.” More people with name tags began to appear and I realized she was part of a larger group. I ran up to her excitedly, she probably thought I was a bit batty, and asked, “Do you mind me asking what you are a survivor of?” “Cancer” she replied. Her name is Elena Comendador and she is a Volunteer Legislative Ambassador for the American Cancer Society. She is one of over 600 people that are here in Washington today (today!!) meeting with legislators lobbying for more money to be spent on cancer research. Elena is from New York City. In fact, she is the Ambassador for the very district I live in. I told her about my Key to the Cure trip and we exchanged cards. Something will come of our meeting, of this I am sure.

Elena Comendador, Survivor, Volunteer Legislative Ambassador American Cancer Society

The other day, I was telling a survivor about a woman I met who had lost her friend to cancer. The woman had asked me if I feel my Mom around me. I told her, “Yes.” The survivor agreed adding, “She’s there when you need her.”  I know it’s my Mom that makes these serendipitous moments happen. They just happen way too often. I then walked across the street, again with no real destination. There in front of me was the U.S. Botanic Garden. The building was just about to close but I went in anywhere. Just inside was the most beautiful flower. My mother loved flowers, and being an artist, her latest works were drawings of flowers. That’s when I knew she was right there, making things happen, when I needed it.

Flower by my Mother, Lorraine Raimondo

Flower in the U.S. Botanical Gardens