Well, what can I say, it isn’t raining, but it is still a little cloudy…maybe the skies are filled with tears for today and are trying hard not to let them fall. David & I went to the memorial and museum for the victims of the bombing of the Federal Building here in Oklahoma City and I cannot tell you how moving this tribute is. In a way, it reminds me of being in the Civil War battlefields back home in the south, it is sad, somber and sobering.
We did not know until we got to Oklahoma City, that today is the 15th year since the bombing. At 5 am this morning, the city began their tribute to the victims, survivors and rescue workers, we watched the events on TV and I mentioned to David that maybe we should wait until tomorrow before we go, thinking of the crowds. He was adamant that we will go today, and I am so glad that we did.
To think that there are a few disgruntled people in our world, worst yet, even in our country, who think that the best way to make themselves heard is through terrorism. I can’t for the life of me understand that I would feel better if I created tragedy and destruction! There were 168 lives lost on April 19, 1995, with 19 of them only little children…that will make you feel better????
There were 168 empty chairs with 19 of them smaller that the others to represent each child lost in the horrendous event. Family members had been through earlier this morning and placed flowers, wreaths, stuffed animals and other mementos on the individual chairs.
I have to say that when you go through the museum, it forces you to face the crime, the terror, the confusion, the chaos, the survivor’s experiences, the rescue and recovery, the funerals and mourning, the investigation that led to the trial and conviction of Timothy McVeigh & Nichols. It is such a moving experience.
I want to give credit to Oklahoma City for the development of the reflecting pool (only ¾” deep), the field of empty chairs, protecting the survivor tree (a 90 yr old tree that lived through the violence), the original chain link fence with tokens of love & support and the amazing museum
So many of the families offered personal items to the museum for display which was so emotional for David & I. If you are ever in Oklahoma City, you MUST visit this site…as an American, you MUST visit this site. You owe it to the lives lost, the survivors permanently injured and the rescue workers who risked their lives, to pay your respects to what was lost on these hallowed grounds.
On a lighter note, as we are Californians, we were amazed that we had NO traffic on the roadway (12 Noon) and found a parking space right beside the Museum! For what today was, that was amazing to us!
