Ten Years Ago

"Grief is the most patient and persistent of all of life’s companions.  It is an ancient, universal power that links all human beings together."  (Molly Fumia)

Today, the tragic events of September 11, 2001 - in New York, in Arlington, in Pennsylvania - are being recalled, stirring up thoughts and feelings about our nation’s loss.  While it was a loss for all Americans, it was also a very personal loss for many whose loved ones perished that day.   For me, as speeches and events focus on 9/11, I remember two other days that same week:

September 9, 2001.  It was a Sunday, and it was Grandparents’ Day, and it was my niece Natalie’s 24^th birthday.  Lifelong challenges with deafness, epilepsy, and developmental disabilities led to my niece living in a group home.  Mom and I visited her that Sunday.  We went to church, where the entire congregation sang “Happy Birthday.”  Natalie could not hear, but she knew exactly what was going on and smiled delightedly at the attention.  After church, we went to have her lunch favorite – tacos.  Natalie and I gave Mom her Grandparents’ Day card and a jar of honey, too.  When we took Natalie back to her group home, I remember signing “I love you” as I said good-bye.

September 13, 2001.  It was a Thursday, and it was the Unity World Day of Prayer.  I returned home after an early-morning prayer service and received a phone call.  Natalie's mother, my sister Peggy, said she had been called to the group home, but they wouldn't say why.  Mom and I arranged to meet her there.  When we arrived, we learned that Natalie had died in the night.  The remainder of the week was spent in making final arrangements for this beloved family member whose unexpected passing magnified our heartache following 9/11.

With all her challenges, Natalie lived a life of unconditional love and acceptance.  Everyone was her friend.  She is missed every day and lives in our hearts always.

"The presence of that absence is everywhere."  (Edna St. Vincent Millay)