9/11

I remember so clearly where I was when this tragedy happened. A friend and I were watching morning television at my house, sitting on the sofa, drinking coffee and chatting away.

Suddenly devastating images appeared on the screen and we sat there in shock and watched. We spent all day sitting there together, mouths gaping, not really speaking to each other. A one stage I looked over at her and realised that she too had wrapped herself up in a blanket, like a baby, her face wet with tears.

The sense of loss, confusion and sadness could be felt everywhere. Mid morning there were threats that the towers in Century City in Los Angeles might possibly be the next targets. I could see those Towers from my house and could only imagine the sheer terror that was taking place over there as people tried to free themselves from those buildings.

I will never forget this tragedy, my thoughts and prayers are always with those who lost their lives or someone they knew. And enormous gratitude to the men and women who risked their lives to save others.

Messenger by Mary Oliver

My work is loving the world.
Here the sunflowers, there the hummingbird
equal seekers of sweetness.
Here the quickening yeast; there the blue plums.
Here the clam deep in the speckled sand.

Are my boots old? Is my coat torn?
Am I no longer young, and still not half-perfect? Let me
keep my mind on what matters,
which is my work,

which is mostly standing still and learning to be
astonished.
The phoebe, the delphinium.
The sheep in the pasture, and the pasture.
Which is mostly rejoicing, since all the ingredients are here,

which is gratitude, to be given a mind and a heart
and these body-clothes,
a mouth with which to give shouts of joy

to the moth and the wren, to the sleepy dug-up clam,
telling them all, over and over, how it is
that we live forever.

~ Mary Oliver