A solemn day of reflection and memorial.
Ten years ago Darren and I were newlyweds living just outside of Washington D.C. He dropped me off that morning at the MARC train station for my commute into the city. I was at my desk, making final calls about a big gala our non-profit organization had planned for that evening when a courier stepped in and asked, "Have you heard what's happened in New York?" Our offices were fairly new and without a TV yet so we flipped on the radios and listened, stunned.
When the second plane hit, and that profound chill that accompanied it settled onto us all, the reality of this nightmare became evident. The shock and the questions and the calm and the waiting... what else could be done? When the Pentagon was hit, we were startled back from numbness. Being on I Street, two blocks from the White House, we were privy to much of the various chaos and rumors that played out on the rest of that surreal morning. Every five minutes we heard reports of a new explosion or car bomb or other frightening development.
I distinctly remember feeling safe, being high up above the street, but not in a target-tall building.
Cars clogged the streets. People poured out of every door. Looking down from our 10th floor windows we watched as the sea of congestion evacuated the city. Strangers carpooled beyond capacity, but most people walked, calmly inching along through the crowded streets. I don't remember if the subway was closed or if I waited by choice, having to make the many calls necessary to cancel that evening's events, but I left the city around 3:00pm. It was a ghost town. I was maybe one of 3 people in the subway car with a handful more on the outbound train.
I finally had word from Darren around noon - he was alright and in some sort of lockdown but would make it home before I. The relief of that reunion...
The footage. Seeing it again on the anniversary coverage today hit me like a ton of bricks. The images that are simply indescribable. Unforgettable. Painful and jarring. I can't begin to imagine what it would feel like to see them as a survivor or as a loved one left behind...
We attended a sunset memorial service tonight at Reconciliation Point on the waters of Canberra's Lake Burley Griffin. Our U.S. Ambassador Bleich and Australia's Prime Minister Gillard addressed us. Songs were sung, flags were flown, candles were lit, music was played, silence was honored, rain fell.
My heart aches for those families shattered by 9/11, for those friends and loved ones missed by so many. My heart swells for our fight for freedom, for those who sacrifice so bravely and run into such crises seeking to help save any they can. I hurt for the evil in the world and those willing to perpetuate it. Yet I thrill for our resilience as a nation and our compassion as a human race.
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| Our embassy gates were decorated with a flag for each victim, by nationality. |
