Two different RV friends, Marcia & Paul and Susan & Bob had seen
the Memorial at dark, and highly recommended it. . .
so that is what we did last night. . .
I really didn’t plan to be so moved by this Memorial. . .
to find the experience so gripping and emotional was totally unexpected. . .
These Individual Memorials in this Field of Empty Chairs
are planted on the exact footprint of the building. . .
There were nine floors in the building. . .
there are nine rows of chairs. . .
Each person’s chair is in the row of the floor they were on. . .
The Children’s Daycare must have been on the 2nd floor
because most of the small chairs are in the 2nd row. . .
a piece of original wall stands in one corner of the
Field of Empty Chairs
You know I rarely go into a lot of detail.. .
but this may be one of those occasions that I tell more than you ever wanted to
It was so important for me to understand the footprint
(maybe because I learn so visually)
starting on the left side of the drawings
the Murrah Plaza remains pretty much the same as it was in 1995
the Field of Empty Chairs is the actual footprint of the building. . .
the granite walkways around the Field of Empty Chairs
were designed of granite taken from the rubble. . .
the Reflecting Pool was 5th Ave before the bombing. . .
the Survivor Tree actually stood in a parking lot
across the street from the building
and the Rescuers Orchard and Children’s Area
were Businesses and a Loading Dock
These are the Gates of Time. . .
9:01 and 9:03
standing at either end of the reflecting pool
spanning a moment of time at 9:02 AM on April 19, 1995 when life changed forever. . .
and as I sat there looking at the reflection of “The Field of Empty Chairs”
I once again realized how precious this life is. . .
one morning, 168 families got up, got dressed,
had their normal routines, expecting everything to be the same as always,
and in the blink of an eye. . .at 9:02 AM their lives were stolen from them. . .
but just as this American Elm survived the ravages of that day,
and became known as the Survivor Tree. . .
we too must be survivors, but always remember. . .never forget!
but there’s one more thing I must share. . .
after arriving home last night, I began reading the brochure we had picked up
and discovered that in the children’s area there are hand painted ceramic tiles,
painted by children around the country, and made into a special memorial wall
in the courtyard slate has been installed in with the marble slabs,
and children who are visiting can leave messages using the sidewalk chalk provided
I’m so glad we went back to see this fabulous tribute. . .
I almost didn’t make it without completely breaking down. . .
tell me if you agree. . .
really tugs the heart strings, doesn’t it?
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