We are . . . Marshall!

Whenever we go on a trip as a family, we tend to view the trips to and from our destination as a task to be completed rather than as part of the journey. On our way back from Washington D.C. this fall, however, we decided to slow down a little and enjoy the return trip a little. Why we picked a 12 hour drive to start this new tradition is still somewhat of a mystery, but we decided to stop in Huntington, West Virginia to visit the memorial for the tragedy that occurred there in 1970.

We initially thought that we would spend about 30 minutes visiting the monument and then take a quick drive through the campus; however, we ended up spending over two hours in Huntington. It turned out to be quite a moving experience. We took our lunch to the football stadium and ate on the grass right next to the stadium. The looks that we received from the players and staff who filed past us as we ate out lunch indicated that they were not only used to frequent visitors, but appreciated our interest in their story.

We did make it up the hill from the university to the memorial that is dedicated to those who lost their lives in the plane crash. It is located up on a hill in the cemetery overlooking the entire town. Although the memorial is much smaller than it appears in the movie "We Are Marshall", it was still quite a moving experience.
After a few minutes, an older couple in their seventies walked up to us and asked us if we had seen the movie. We introduced ourselves and found that they have lived in Huntington all of their lives. They shared with us their memories of the plane crash and the long, painful recovery that the entire town has experienced through the years. Before we left, we had the opportunity to talk to yet another couple who also shared their experience related to the tragedy. While it became exceptionally clear to us that the people of Huntington are still deeply impacted by the tragic events of 1970, we were able to feel of the quiet strength that has developed over the years as people have come together to support one another.

Perhaps the most important lesson that our family learned from this detour, is to slow down to experience life more frequently. If we had given in to the temptation to rush straight home, we would have missed out on a great experience.