The Philadelphia Shipyard was founded in 1776 and became an official United States Navy site in 1801. I was stationed there my last year in the Navy on the USS Forrestal when it was being refitted.

I have had the opportunity to go back to the shipyard many times for fundraising and awareness walks for organizations like Walk4Hearing and City of Hope. A lot of the buildings are gone, like my barracks, the supermarket, and the enlisted man's club, and have been replaced with new, shiny buildings.

But when I'm walking around there and I get lined up just so between the old buildings, I get my bearings back and think, "Wow, I used to walk from my barracks from here to the ship."

I am excited that they kept some of the old buildings and turned them into office buildings. I wish contractors and businesses would find a way to do that with more of our old buildings in this country without tearing them all down.

When people reach a certain age, they always wish for the past. But looking at the Philadelphia Shipyard, I really see the improvement and direction of heading towards the future. I’ve always loved that saying, "When old becomes new again."

Quick story about my Father and I. I came home with a brand new Blood, Sweat & Tears album. I put it on the stereo, and in a few minutes, my Father was singing one of their songs.

I'm asking him, "How do you know this song? It's a brand new song! I just opened it up!"

He said, "That's not a new song at all." He went to his albums, put on a Billie Holiday record, and said, "This is how "God Bless The Child" is supposed to be sung."

And that's when I learned that old things become new again.

So, in closing, let's cherish the past and have hope for a wonderful future.

- Kevin S. Nash

Photo Details: Self-project, 2018