This is a day that I never fully grasped when it occurred 7 years ago. We were living in Lawrence Kansas in our home on Rhode Island St., Zach and Kaija were at preschool at K.U., Joe was at school (I think) and I was home with Bella. We had no television, I didn't listen to the radio, we didn't get the paper and I really just didn't have a real connect to the outside world. My sister-in-law Amy Kirkham called me to tell me what was going on, knowing that it wasn't likely that I had heard anything. I never actually saw any of the T.V. footage or newspapers, just bits from the magazines and papers at the grocery store.
Sad to think of my ignorance- so today for part of our school, and since every station here in New York has the live coverage of the memorial services, I thought it would be appropriate to watch. It is strange to have been down at the Ground Zero site last week, and going there to see nothing really. It is surrounded with a gate which is covered with tarps. Basically an empty space; then to watch the coverage and see down inside that space and all the people who are still mourning their losses. We also watched a portion of the documentary called "The Day the Towers Fell" on the History Channel. Heart wrenching, would be putting it mildly. I think it is apropos that we are experiencing these tragic and heroic images for the first time while we are living here in NYC. 
It has been really emotional for me (not that there is anything that isn't emotional for me) to experience this today, and it is in stark contrast to my experience last night while we attended the Manhattan Temple for the first time since being here (it has been closed and just re-opened on Tuesday). What a difference from the crazy noise of the city to the absolute peace of the temple. What a blessing to have the peace of the gospel in our lives and to have a refuge from the world and a place like the temple where the spirit of the Lord is unrestrained and can penetrate deep into the soul! This to me is a day to truly count my blessings and to express gratitude for all who have sacrificed so much for the freedoms I enjoy.
It has been really emotional for me (not that there is anything that isn't emotional for me) to experience this today, and it is in stark contrast to my experience last night while we attended the Manhattan Temple for the first time since being here (it has been closed and just re-opened on Tuesday). What a difference from the crazy noise of the city to the absolute peace of the temple. What a blessing to have the peace of the gospel in our lives and to have a refuge from the world and a place like the temple where the spirit of the Lord is unrestrained and can penetrate deep into the soul! This to me is a day to truly count my blessings and to express gratitude for all who have sacrificed so much for the freedoms I enjoy.
5 comments:
I was hoping that you would post something about today. What an awesome experience to be there on this day of remembering. Thanks for sharing with us that are remembering from afar.
Fantastic post. What a unique experience to be there over the anniversary date.
I remember that day very well. I too did not have any radio or TV on. I was starting to have a few labor pains with Casondra. Mark called me on his way home and told me to turn on the TV. I watched the 2nd plane hit. Went to work 8 hours and Had a sweet little girl 20 minutes after 9/11. Some joy in all the tragedy. Thanks for sharing.
I guess you are pretty glad that she was born on the twelth huh! Oh yes and happy b-day to Casondra!
9/11 for Shawn and I was similar to your experience this year. We had gone from Warrensburg MO to Enid OK, along with the Crawford family, for a couple of days. Shawn and Bill and to go to the altitude chamber at Vance AFB. We drove to the Oklahoma City temple, early in the morning, the day after they guys had finished their training. Right before we entered the temple, Shawn and I heard from someone in the parking that something bad had happened in NY. We went in to the temple and didn't think any more of it. When we came out everyone was all shook up, people were racing to gas stations to fill up as prices shot up to crazy amounts. Then we spent the next couple of hours in the chapel across the street, watching the news reports of the horrific events and watching our friends children while they attended the temple. A day of unbelievable contrast!
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