Remembering

   I mentioned back on 9/12 we were heading out to the Healing Field.  I thought I'd share a few pics.

When we arrived, this is what we saw...

They then told us how much thought had gone into this field.  It was two sections with a large row up the middle to represent the Twin Towers.  From the bottom it was victims from the WTC and then the flights and at the top 200+ unnamed victims they are STILL trying to identify (which I didn't know was still happening). Also when at the top it is close to the height of where the planes hit the towers.  Each flag had a card with info of a victim and a red ribbon for NYFD and blue for NYPD.

There were signs as you walked up with staggering facts like these.  Another one I didn't take a picture of said there were victims from 48 countries.  Again, another fact I didn't know.

Most people recognize this name..."Let's Roll"

The youngest victim :0(  Hard to think of with my two year old strapped safely on my back as I read the card.

Taking it all in from the top.

   It was a really neat experience.  I think it helped our kids see why this was a big deal.  I told them to think of each flag as a hole in someones life.  Someone missing for no good reason.  Someone missed everyday.  When you thought of it that way it was a very sobering view.  We saw some old friends there and had a few of those "post 9/11" interactions with people.  One older lady came up to us while we were sitting at the top and said she had come alone and didn't expect to react the way she did... she really needed a hug, even it was from a stranger.  So I gave her a hug :0)  You just connected to everyone there.  Another lady came up to me at the bottom and said she couldn't resist taking a picture of our family from the back as we walked down the hill.  She showed me the pictures and asked if she could email them to me.  When I get them I'll show you all. All in all it was well worth a shorter day of school to take it all in.  Hannah even got a chance to put her hand-print on a banner for "Hands Across America".  As we were leaving there was a place you could purchase a flag (I think they were $75) and all the money was being sent to NYFD.  Pretty cool idea.