The photo above was taken by me on a visit with my family to Arlington Cemetery. The man on the left is my father who retired from the army just one day prior. The man on the right is Leroy, a volunteer at Arlington Cemetery. We had a great time, but just a moment before this meeting, we had been dropped off in a “closed” area and were left for about 45 minutes. I had to call the front gate to dispatch a bus to come pick us up. We were feeling down and in a bad mood.
As we were dropped off at the amphitheater to watch the changing of the guards, Leroy approached us. I could tell by his accent he was an immigrant. He shook my father’s hand and thanked him for his service. He went on to explain that it’s because of people like him that allowed him to become a citizen of our great country. He chose this job specifically to meet people like my father and thank them. We were all moved and some of us were in tears. I took the opportunity to snap this photo to preserve it in our memories forever.
We may get discouraged at our country from time to time. We all have different opinions and we fight like cats and dogs, but it was truly a blessing to meet this man and discover what America means to him. On a week that we were touring the nation’s capital, I couldn’t have asked for more.
This is why I am a photographer. Whether I am photographing a senior graduating, a family celebrating, or a moment like this, I am constantly reminded of how proud I am to be a photographer. This is also why I offer military discounts because our service members deserve the very best we can give them.
The Changing of the Guards
Washington, D.C.
Winchester, TN
