A few years ago, my sister Aimee visted me in New York with her friend, Beata. We were walking around my neighborhood, and Aimee asked, “Can we see the arch?”

“What arch?” I said.

“You know, the one from When Harry Met Sally.”

Now, sometime around my junior high years, I watched that movie almost every day for a summer. I can’t quite explain why I was so fascinated by it then, but even today, I think it’s a good movie. It’s got an unusual structure for a romantic comedy. I like that it spans years and fashion styles, and I love the little vingettes of cute old couples. 

But the arch? I remembered Harry and Sally shaking hands by the station wagon near the arch, but I wasn’t sure where that was.

It turns out it was just a couple blocks from where I live. But it was covered up for a cleaning, or something, at the time. I passed by it today, and yet again it’s blocked from view—or at least my favorite half of it is. I don’t know what in tarnation the city is doing to Washington Square Park, but I wish they’d get it over with. And if all that construction is just to move the fountain over a couple feet (that’s the rumor), I’m going to be mad.

But back to my favorite half of the arch. It’s the south side, which I prefer because of the quote from Washington inscribed on it: “Let us raise a standard to which the wise and honest can repair. The event is in the hand of God.”

Washington’s not really known for his words. But these strike my heart. He’s speaking about the writing of the Constitution. There are many things I like about the inscription. It is simple. And I appreciate that Washington is emphasizing the process—what’s important here is the purpose and effort of writing a document that represents the ideals that will best protect the country. What actually happens with that document—the “event”— can’t be known or controlled.

Of course, I could be misunderstanding the inscription. I don’t know a lot about the writing of the Constitution, or about Washington.  

But I like the idea that outcomes are not the most important thing, that there is something very worthy just in setting a standard.

Do you have favorite words carved in stone?

p.s. I’m not responsible for the little “I love Meg Ryan” thing at the end of the YouTube video. Not that I dislike her, or anything.