Remembering.....

I can't imagine that there would be anywhere in the world where the words 'nine eleven (9/11)' doesn't conjur up something in our minds. I live a world away from New York but I can vividly recall where I was when I saw for the first of thousands of times - planes driven into symbolic buildings, damage done to the Pentagon, and the crash site enroute to the White House. Like the people around me, our minds could not register what we were seeing before us... and to this day, if it was not fact - it would still be unbelievable.

So on the 10th anniversary of that fateful day, there was never going to be another topic to blog about. Again, and with reason, we watch the footage of that day, and join with the people at 'Ground Zero' as they remember their lost ones. It is also, I would suggest a time for a nation to reassess their committment to a cause that has had to add many more lives to this list of loss. Aotearoa, has not gone without - our latest soldier being laid to rest some weeks ago.

Here are my picks of the day.

Remember by Christina Rosetti
Remember when I am gone away,
Gone far away into the silent land;
When you can no more hold me by the hand,
Nor I half turn to go yet turning stay.
Remember me when no more day by day
You tell me of our future that you plann'd:
Only remember me; you understand
It will be late to counsel then or pray.
Yet if you should forget me for a while
And afterwards remember, do not grieve:
For if the darkness and corruption leave
A vestige of the thoughts that once I had,
Better by far you should forget and smile
Than that you should remember and be sad.
Read by Dame Judi Dench at a memorial service held near the USA Embassy in London, England

Hello Darkness My Old Friend by Simon & Garfunkel
Hello darkness, my old friend, I've come to talk with you again,
Because a vision softly creeping, Left its seeds while I was sleeping,
And the vision that was planted in my brain,
Still remains, within the sound of silence.

In restless dreams I walked alone, Narrow streets of cobblestone,
'neath the halo of a street lamp, I turned my collar to the cold and damp
When my eyes were stabbed by the flash of a neon light
That split the night, and touched the sound of silence.

And in the naked light I saw, Ten thousand people, maybe more.
People talking without speaking, People hearing without listening,
People writing songs, that voices never share.And no one dared, Disturb the sound of silence.
Sung by Mr Simon at the 9/11 Memorial Service, Ground Zero, New York

One father dedicated this poem in remembrance of his daughter.“If tears could bring you back to me, you’d be right by my side. For God could fill a river full with all the tears I’ve cried. If I could have one wish come true, I’d ask God in prayer to let me have just one more day to show how much I care.” 

The relection pools, are a breathtakingly beautiful memorial and have catapulted themselves to near the top of my MUST SEE before I DIE list. Deceiving from the spanned view of these pools, each one is actually an acre each in size. The whole site covers a 17 acre plot of space. My favourite feature beside the massive waterfalls, are the thousands of names carved into the sides of thes pools. Check out  http://www.nycinsiderguide.com/Ground-Zero-Memorial.html#axzz1YLNA0PAw .

Being so far away and removed from the physical loss yet connected because I have suffered loss - the most touching images of the day were of the people, in particular the ones where loved ones were seen caressing and kissing the name of their lost one engraved on the side of these enormouse pools... Some added flowers and notes. And I get that, and was moved by what I saw... and realised that loss is universal...

After all it is the names of almost 3000 souls that day and the many more who have followed, that we are called to rememberance on this day... wherever we are.

Yours in friendship,

Mxo