Ten Years Later

Yesterday Sandy City unveiled the "Hope Rising Memorial" in honor of the 10th anniversary of 9/11.   We didn't have much time yesterday but we felt it was important to take the kids to see it and to see the Healing Field.

I knew that there was one flag for each person who died in the attacks, but I hadn't realized there would be tags on many of the flags with details about each person.  It was very moving.  I wish we had taken more time to wander through the field.

This weekend we had Clark and Bethany watch a you-tube video about 9/11.  I had not realized that they had never seen footage of the towers being hit and fallen.  Perhaps that was a good thing since they were so young.  The only real connection Clark had was a children's picture book about a Frenchman who walked on a high wire between the two towers back in the 1970's.  It was time for a little more detail.

Ten years ago on 9/11 our little family was in a hotel room in Orlando, FL.  We woke up turned on the TV and the first tower had been hit.  It was so sad.  What had happened?  Then the second plane hit and it was shocking.  What was going on?  When the Pentagon was hit I felt real fear.  We were away from home and the country was being attacked.  Were we in a war?  Where would it end?  What else would be hit?   They grounded all the planes in the country.  When would we be able to go home?  I wanted to just rent a car and drive home rather than waiting to be able to fly home.  I was scared to fly. We went to eat at an Olive Garden the night of 9/11.  The entire restaurant was hushed.  People solemnly whispered, asking who had done this to us? 

After several extra days stranded in Florida, I was so happy to finally come home to Utah.  I admit I felt much safer here, protected by the Wasatch Mountains than I did on the East coast.  I was grateful to see my family and my neighbors and ward members.  There are several reasons that I don't particularly like traveling.  I know much of it has to do with my stage of life with lots of little people and lack of extra cash for such activities.  But I wonder if some of my travel anxieties stem from September 11th?

As we've watched some 9/11 special memorials on TV this weekend and heard stories of many of the heroes of the day, I am so impressed by the efforts and sacrifice of so many.  There is much bad in the world, but there is more good.  So many who did what needed to be done.
Today I think how thankful I am for my country and my family and my friends.  I will think of the gratitude I have for so many who daily put their lives on the line so that I can enjoy these blessings.