9/11 Ten Years Later

Today is a very difficult day for many people. Emotions, long hidden, rise to the surface, creating unease and imbalance. I walked the University of Maryland's new Labyrinth today with a very dear friend. We lost a family of friends ten years ago when their plane crashed into the Pentagon. Leslie Whittington, Charlie, Dana, and Zoe Falkenberg were a loving and generous family missed by many. I walked today for Dana, who was only 3 years old in 2001, her life barely begun. She was always smiling and laughing, and that is how I will always remember her. Zoe was bright and full of energy. She was a friend of my daughter's and only 8 when she died. Leslie and Charlie were supportive members of our community, friendly, kind and always giving of their time. They were on their way to a three month Sabbatical for Leslie in Australia.

I also walked today for four other people whose names were given to me by the University. They all died at the World Trade Center in New York. They were: Donald J. Burns, Kazushige Ito, Justin McCarthy, and Goumatie T. Thackurdeen. I am thinking of them and their families today.

As I walked the labyrinth, I could not help but think of all the people impacted by this horrendous event. I felt the weight of the suffering and almost could not bear it. I was tempted to walk fast and get it over with, the pain was so great. But, I forced myself to walk slowly. It was the hardest thing I have had to do in a long time. My mind raced around in circles, to the Falkenbergs and the others that I was walking for, to others who died that day and their family and friends, to my own emotions and personal realization of loss that day, and to the continued suffering from anger and killing that continues today.

Here is a photo of people walking the Labyrinth this morning, with a little editing on my iPhone:



This afternoon I will go to a service at our own University Park Memorial for the Falkenbergs and for Sheila Hein who worked in the Pentagon and also died that day. I am not sure if I am ready for yet more emotion to pour out of me.I do not understand violence and hatred.

I wish you all peace,Anne