9/11

Our family has gone to the White Mountains of Arizona for almost thirty years, taking our two small children strapped into the saddle in front of us up rocky mountains, into canyons, across meadows strewn with wild flowers such as purple penstemon, yellow Mexican hat, spirals of "cowboy toilet paper." It's been a respite for us from the crazy rest of the world, but in 2001, not long after we returned to the traffic and noise of L.A, the twin towers of the World Trade Center  in New York were hit by two hi-jacked airplanes.  In Washington D.C, the Pentagon took another hit, and somewhere in the green fields of Pennsylvania, passengers overtook the terrorists whose target was most likely the Capitol or the White House and died in the fiery crash that resulted from their bravery.

We have never been the same.  

Yet every summer, we've packed up our truck and headed east across the desert to the ranch and found the monsoons helped to heal, the cool evenings, balm to our souls.  As individuals, we were lucky to have such a sanctuary, as Americans we had thousands to mourn. 

We met dozens of people over the years at the ranch, strangers on Sunday night, boon companions by week's end.  For us, seeing Marty and George Rozelle when we drove up the dusty road and parked our car by the main house, was always a delightful surprise because returning guests didn't always return the same week. When they did, it was sweetness to enjoy each day of the week. These two, George with his booming sense of humor, his intelligence, his kindness, and Marty who matches him point for point, added so much to our annual visits, they became family too.  

George passed away in 2008, but he left so much of himself behind.  Last night, to honor the losses we have all suffered as individuals, as friends and families, and as a nation, Marty sent out a poem George wrote in the aftermath of 9/11. With her permission,  I'm sharing it with you.

AND THEN

They hit us hard and at home

Lives were lost and buildings destroyed

Smoke, debris, vivid pictures saturated our senses

Shock, fear and anger filled our hearts and minds

And then,

Public servants and people from all walks of life

Performed heroic acts

Rescue and recovery efforts produced

Both miracles and anguish

And then,

We came together as a nation

Reflecting on our lives and values

Families grew stronger

Strangers became friends

And then,

Time passed and old habits returned

Compassion, concern, courtesy, civility

Slowly gave way and once again

Us became me, we became I

And then,

It is now

As we stop to remember and seek meaning

Let us re-dedicate ourselves to

Being a nation of caring, considerate individuals

And then,

We will truly honor the memory of those lost.

George F. Rozelle 

September 11, 2002