September 11, 2002 - One Year Memorial Service

I don't have any photos from my visit. At least not many memorable ones. It was after all, 2002. I'm not sure phones with cameras were even available yet. The only camera I had was one that I purchased at the airport on my flight out. You know the ones, a little yellow box with some film and you throw them away when you're done with them? Anyway, a friend of mine from college was getting married. My roommate was a groomsmen and I was an usher. I had never flown before so I was pretty excited to go. My friend lived about an hour outside of Manhattan and I was looking forward to visiting the city. We rode the subway in and walked around for a few hours. Saw some typical sights of NYC, and then headed back out to the 'burbs to participate in the wedding rehearsal. It was nice. I don't recall much of it. But that night, the groomsmen and the ushers were going back down to the city to enjoy ourselves. We walked to Times Square, the David Letterman theater, ate some pizza, and then hopped on the subway again. None of us were from NYC and I personally don't recall knowing where we were going, just that we were following the groom, because he was from here. We come up the stairs from the train and by now we've been informed where we were going so our attitudes had changed a little while at the same time still a little jovial because our emotions had not been shaken yet. We come to a corner that we had seen light billowing from for a few blocks. All mouths go shut and all eyes fixate on what was before us. Now, this was April 2002. 6 months after  the attack on the World Trade Center's and the United States of America. It was approximately 1am. We turn left and walk underneath the scaffolding that was above our heads and that created a walkway, which is common in the cities. To our left was a commonly seen building in pictures of the aftermath, yet it's storefronts at the bottom of the building had been turned into makeshift memorials. No doubt, immediately after the attack serving as morgues, or first aid stations, or something similar. I recall staring at a wall with photos, flowers, and missing people signs, then looking up and noticing I was standing in front of a Burger King entrance housed at on the ground level of this building. I had seen this Burger King on the news and other various videos of the attack site. I was immediately reminded of the weight and gravity of where I was. We climb halfway up some construction stairs that I'm not sure where they led. Then step up to first metal railing of the stairs and from this vantage point we're able to look almost straight down into the giant hole in the ground. There is a ramp leading down to the bottom of the hole (See above photo.) "You can't be here" I hear someone say in a strong New York accent. We look to our left and a NYC Port Authority officer is standing there with his thumb out as if he's hitchhiking yet in reality indicating that we needed to move on. He asks us what we're doing here and without really waiting for an answer tells us that the lookout station is on the other side of the site but that it's closed. We tell him our story and he agrees to take us to another location up the stairs and to the right. Honestly the view is not as good but it was probably safer as we were right up along the street in a more public non off limits area. We wonder for a few minutes speaking softly to each other amidst the ongoing construction and usual sounds of the city. A particular memory I have is of us looking up as if we can see the tops of the towers and then being shaken by the images of those planes flying at high speed right into these beautiful buildings.  Again, it was approximately 1 am and we had a next day groom in our midst, so we eventually walk away and hop the train back to the house taking with us a lifetime of memories, thoughts and reasons to pray.


   

United States Pentagon 9-11 Memorial

 I am absolutely moved by visiting the United States Capitol city. I've now had the privilege of visiting Washington D.C on three occasions. None of the visits have been as extensive as I would like but each have been enjoyable and profitable nonetheless. Each visit has been post the 9-11 attack on the Pentagon but it wasn't until this most recent visit in February of 2012 that I was able to drive near enough to the Pentagon to view the memorial. Unfortunately it was closed for the day and I was not able to view it up close. But being able to see some of it and the portion of the building that was attacked was a heavy moment for me.

What a tragic day.


 
   

  I'm not one to idolize our country and patriotism but I am very blessed to be an American. An attack on our home is not to be taken lightly so I desire to honor our God in heaven by remembering these dark days but hopefully using them as a catapult to serve others, especially our law enforcement and emergency responders.