Marking the Day

I would be remiss if I allowed this day to pass without marking it. Today marks the third anniversary of a day that never should have been. It seems unbelieveable that 1095 days have passed since horror and chaos touched down on American soil. For me, watching the unspeakable events of that day unfold hit too close to home for me to just sit idley by and do nothing.Those who know me well, know I got involved with an international quilt project to honor the victims of that day and to try and bring a measure of comfort to the families whose lives were forever altered by the tragic loss of those they loved. Through that project, I came to know and love Carlos and Anna,their family and their son Ken through the memories they have so generously shared with me. It was nothing short of a miracle that our lives crossed and this summer we were finally able to bring our friendship full circle when I flew to New York to meet them.


While in NYC, they generously took me to see Ground Zero (Which is now being referred to as "the Footprints" as the footprints of the buildings is all that remains of the towers.) and it was a pretty emotional experience. There is this giant hole in the ground with a fence around it with various memorial displays attached to it. The subway station that was crushed when the towers fell is re-opened and in use again. The buildings on either side of the towers were damaged and one is draped in black, which is kind of eerie. It looks like a mourner standing guard and I wondered whether it was draped for repair or to shield the employees of that building from having to look at the scar in the ground ajacent on a daily basis. Just being there, the air is still, the mood both reverant and sombre stirs all the sadness of that day and you can't help but cry-cry and get angry that this happend to anyone. The pictures I have uploaded of Ground Zero were taken in mid-July this year, while I was there.


So today my thoughts turn as they often do to the families left behind, to my friends in NYC. Knowing them and their story has changed my life forever. The world has become a much smaller place to me. It has also made me more conscious of how blessed I am to live in a country where I have been able to take my freedom and safety for granted. I've learned the power of doing something instead of wringing my hands and thinking how awful it was. And as always, I have found that by giving, I got much more in return. My hope is that the families will continue to heal as much as they possibly can and that people will not forget them. I for one will always remember.