Beauty From Ashes

Thursday, 8/7/08 We stayed Wednesday night in Norman, Oklahoma, just outside of Oklahoma City. It was 2 am by the time we got our room and we had put over 650 miles behind us since Lafayette. Needless to say, we requested a very late checkout for Thursday. We set an alarm in time to claim our free breakfast and then went back to sleep for several more hours. Later, we drove to downtown Oklahoma City to the memorial where the J. P. Murrah building once stood. As with the Civil Rights Museum, we were ill-prepared for the emotions evoked by this tribute to those we lost, and to all who helped during this unprecedented attack on our own soil.

The memorial was built on the exact footprint the Murrah building once occupied. The entrance is through a large wall with an inscription honoring the fallen and reminding us to never forget. Once through the wall, you see an expanse and then another large wall on the other side. These walls are placed exactly where the outer walls of the building were and represent the actual depth within the city block where the building stood. The inside of one wall reads “9:01”, representing Oklahoma City as it was just before the bomb went off. The other wall reads “9:03”, representing the moment after the blast when our country was changed forever. In between the walls, in stark contrast to the events of that day, is a peaceful reflecting pool. It is flanked by 168 chairs on one side, representing the adults and children who were killed in the attack. On the other side stands the defiant Survivor Tree. Not only did it literally survive the bomb’s blast, but it also represents the unwavering faith and strength of mankind when faced with such an event.

The building next door has been converted into a museum where a walking tour takes you back to the events of that day, both tragic and heroic. As you walk through the museum, you are moved from the shock and despair of the bombing to a tender reflection of the rescue efforts. You experience the stories of the professional rescuers who rushed to the scene and got to work pulling people out, and of the authorities that immediately began organizing the crime scene and creating a point of communication for the families of the victims. Locals poured into the streets to help in any way they could, offering personal affects, covering victims with blankets, and delivering food, drinks, hugs and prayers to those in need. This is the outpouring we often only see in movies-- a tangible sense of family among strangers, and a total leveling ground for all people regardless of race, religion, or culture, uniting in the face of tragedy. It is remarkable how flawlessly everyone worked together, and it is a testimony of the faith, love, and ferocious iron will that resides somewhere inside us all.

From Oklahoma, we made our way north to Wichita, Kansas for the night. We had a very comfortable room, one of the last in the area, due to the fact that most people stop there on their way through to somewhere else. The hotel clerk was born and raised in Wichita, and she was itching to get out. We asked about her hopes and dreams for the future, and she was looking forward to traveling. However, she still had parents and a grandmother in the area, so she was skittish about leaving too soon. Dan met some guys from Gunnison, Colorado who were in for a college baseball tournament. One of the highlights of this journey is meeting the people wherever we stop and getting to hear even just a portion of their story.