[Sister Valerie recently returned from a five-day trip to Washington, D.C. Over the next few days you will read of her impressions.]

I recently had perfect weather in D.C., something which, I understand, is rather unusual. The cherry blossoms bunched in brown piles along the curbs, but tulips and flowering trees made the walks from hotel to monuments and museums pleasantly colorful. On one day the sky was solid blue—not a cloud—letting the Washington Monument stand out in all its white glory. The picture was serene, matching George Washington’s desire for peace. Even though he led the Revolutionary War, he wrote “Cultivate peace and harmony with all” and “My first wish is to see. . . war banished from the earth.”