Kurt Cobain Memorial in Aberdeen

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I may have written about this before, but myLot is glitching on me today. Checking keeps taking me in circles. The Kurt Cobain Memorial in Aberdeen, Washington, is small and nothing flashy or has a must see about it. However, I noticed how quiet and peaceful it feels once you are there. It sits on the muddy banks of the Wishkah River, not far from the house in Felony Flats, where he spent some of his childhood. People who come here do so for a connection. Sure, many are fans and die hard Nirvana fans, but most write and paint gravity on the large "air guitar" sculpture and under the Young Street Bridge trying to communicate their own pain and understanding - some in lyric form. The large poster sign of Cobain is full of stickers, usually left for ages since removing them only lasts a day or two before more are stuck on. At this tiny park, one will find a headstone (not his burial), with quotes from Cobain engraved along with oddities people leave, i.e., boxes of mac n' Cheese, cereal and cans of spam. When visiting, there were a few other strangers sitting quietly reflecting, and it felt personal. Not about fame and a fan base, but about connection - an understanding of pain. I was not a Nirvana fan. Not even a Curt Cobain fan. But, there was something about this park that hit home. Why did I go in the first place? Aberdeen has a Welcome sign that says, "Come As You Are" a tribute to Curt Cobain, who grew up in Aberdeen. I was never "thrilled" with Aberdeen, but wanted to find something interesting about it to make my Walmart trek a bit less daunting. Afterall, Aberdeen is also called, "He**hole of the Pacific" and "The Port of Missing Men" due to the high murder rate. What was a reason to go other than Walmart? Get in, get your stuff and get the flock out of Dodge so to speak. I searched the meaning of the sign and up came Curt Cobain's story. It was interesting to visit and oddly peaceful. There is no parking lot so you have to park in front of someone's home. Seeing a homemade sign in their yard shows they are very tired of this, but the memorial is not going away any time soon. One of the messages on the sign says it's not a gift shop, but I see a business potential if they decided to embrace the daily visitors. I bet they could sell souvenirs. Just have to be careful of copywrites. Will I return or check out the Cobain Museum further in town? I doubt it. His life wasn't my own nor was his music, but it did give me the idea to see what else is interesting in Aberdeen. I think what makes the memorial special; it’s not just a place to remember Kurt Cobain, it's a reminder that creativity, even when it’s born out of pain, can leave something lasting behind. I walked away with this quiet sense of peace and a new interest in the town that still keeps his story alive. I'm unable to load my own photos at this time.