The Friday before the race, I took the afternoon off to pick up my race packet at the OKC Memorial Expo downtown. Then Mom, Dad, Grandma, and I explored the Oklahoma City National Memorial. We were truly blessed to experience the occasion on such a glorious afternoon. None of us had visited before and we were so impressed. The grounds are beautiful and simple and touching...a real tribute. We read through the information packet as we walked and were amazed to learn so many things we didn't know. Of course, I forgot to put new batteries in my camera (duh) and had to take a few pics with my Blackberry. But I am planning on going back very soon to take some great photos.
The thought and care that went into such a memorial blew my mind. And the fact that the memorial is maintained by the National Park Service makes me smile. This means that all funds generated are through the Museum admission fees, private fundraising campaigns, and the Memorial Marathon race. We didn't have time to visit the Museum but plan on doing so in a few months.
One of the first questions I asked my dad was the meaning of the two walls...they each stand on opposite sides of the reflecting pool. One reads "9:01" and the other "9:03." When Mom finally read aloud what it meant we both got goosebumps. Here is what the brochure says:
"These monumental twin gates frame the moment of destruction--9:02 a.m.--and mark the formal entrances to the Memorial. The East Gate represents 9:01 a.m. on April 19, and the innocence of the city before the attack. The West Gate represents 9:03 a.m., the moment we were changed forever, and the hope that came from the horror in the moments and days following the bombing."
Dad and I wandered over to the Field of Empty Chairs and I almost broke down when I realized there were tiny chairs--for the 19 children who died that day. I noticed how the chairs were placed in a particular order and Dad read that there are 9 rows of chairs that represent the 9 floors of the Murrah building. Each chair, engraved with the names of those lost, represents the area of the building where that particular person was that day. We plan to return at night when the bases of each chair light up as "beacons of hope." The field is surrounded by a perimeter of granite sidewalks--the granite was actually salvaged from the Murrah Plaza.
Another simple yet powerful symbol of the Memorial is the Survivor Tree.
It is a huge American Elm tree. The message near the tree says:"The spirit of this city and this nation will not be defeated; our deeply rooted faith sustains us."
The inscription encircling the tree reads:
"To the courageous and caring who responded from near and far, we offer our eternal gratitude."
Again, I am getting goosebumps just typing this! I am an Okie, born and bred...to visit the Memorial as an American is heartbreaking; to visit as a native Oklahoman is overwhelming.
There are pieces of the original Murrah building all around the Memorial. You can see where the concrete has been broken, with steel rebar sticking out. It makes it all so incredibly real.
When I finished the race on Sunday morning, I had to walk back to my car parked in a lot a few blocks away. I was thinking about the race and how unhappy I was with my time, when I realized I was walking right by the Memorial. There weren't any visitors and all was quiet. I was reminded why I ran that race...168 people lost their lives 15 years ago. And even though my heart hurt, I held my head a little higher.
WE COME HERE TO REMEMBER THOSE WHO WERE KILLED, THOSE WHO SURVIVED AND THOSE CHANGED FOREVER. MAY ALL WHO LEAVE HERE KNOW THE IMPACT OF VIOLENCE. MAY THIS MEMORIAL OFFER COMFORT, STRENGTH, PEACE, HOPE, AND SERENITY.
