A Moment of Silence

One of the things I distinctly remember from September 11, 2001, was the silence that prevailed everywhere I went that day. From leaving my house after watching the tragedy unfold on the TV and the silence that filled my car as I tried to absorb what I had just seen. To the silence that filled the empty BYU Anthropology Department as I sat with Evie in front of an old TV in our lobby. To the day of silence in the sky as planes across the country were grounded in fear. And to the silence as people across the country bowed their heads in sorrow and respect for the thousands of lives which were tragically cut short that day.

There are no words that can adequately console, depict, or convey the emotions of that day. Silence is our response. A moment of silence to pray, reflect, appreciate, and love.

Yesterday, I witnessed the silence at the Tempe Town Lakes 9/11 Memorial -- 1 flag for each person lost to the terrorist attack of 9/11. On each flag was a card with a person's name, age, location of death, and a bit about them. Last year there was a picture of the person. Pictures don't tell you much about the life of an individual. This year's cards, made each person more real.

Like Raymond R. York...


Raymond R. York

Age: 45

Raymond R. York spent nearly two decades fighting blazes and loving the New York Fire Department when a shoulder injury 18 months ago forced him into light duty.But on Tuesday he learned of the attack from a television crew that was doing a story on the Fire Zone, he jumped onto a nearby fire truck and headed downtown. After traffic held him up, he hitched a ride on an ambulance and reached the Fire Departments command post at the Trade Center.

Lest we forget that there were children who were killed in this terrorist attack, flags representing children had teddy bears placed with them. This bear was for 3 year old Dana Falkenber who was on AA Flight 77 with her sister and parents.
There are hundreds, and hundreds more who have left family members behind. In remembering the tragedy as a whole let us not forget the individuals. Each one had a story, a story which tragically ended on 9/11/01.

For each and every one of them, and their family members, I offer up this moment of silence.