Gettysburg

On Saturday I didn't have to work, so I though I would go explore Gettysburg.  I had never been before so I was really excited to go.  The drive there was absolutely beautiful, following the river with beautiful forest covered mountains to the side of the road.  Loved it.  I decided that it was worth the $12.50 to see a movie, a cyclorama (painting around a room), and the museum and it was definitely worth it.  Before going to see anything I decided to read D&C 87 the prophecy about the Civil War.  It was amazing because Morgan Freeman (the narrator or the movie) was practically reading that prophecy word for word for the movie.  The painting was absolutely beautiful and so life like.  I was in the museum for a few hours, watching many of the movies and taking my time reading and observing the different artifacts.  I wanted to take my time and really soak in all of the information and feelings associated with this great war.  

After lunch I decided to walk out to the actual battle sites.  Again I took my time, really trying to soak up the moment.  I walked by monument after monument after monument.  It was amazing to see how this place that's kind of in the middle of nowhere and not much to look at, is such sacred life because of how many people lost their lives.  The museum had often talked about how Gettysburg was the turn of the Civil War and how the Confederates should have won the battle, they had way more men than the Union.  But because the Union held the high ground they were able to win.  The Union held the literal high ground over those three days, but also the figurative high ground through out the war.  And if we as people continue to hold the high ground in the war against Satan, we will win as well.

I then wandered over to the cemetery, where Lincoln gave his famous Gettysburg address.  I absolutely love cemeteries and this cemetery did not disappoint.  Again I slowly, quietly, and reverently wandered, observing the many headstones.  Many were not from the actual Civil War.  Many of them that were from the Civil War had Unknown written on them.  It was really cool to see the different monuments to Lincoln as well in the cemetery.  It was a peaceful place, so different from the war that made it famous.  I left that day feeling like I had just gone on a very cool spiritual journey coming to understand the men who fought for my freedom a little bit better.  I love Gettysburg.

Dear Zombies Occupying Wall Street:

I can't put my thoughts on the zombies occupying wall street (and salt lake as of today) any better than the Beatles did in their song "Revolution". So here's the lyrics (which I don't own.)

You say you want a revolution

Well you know

We all want to change the world

You tell me that its evolution

Well you know

We all want to change the world

*********

You say you got a real solution

We all want to see the plan

You ask me for a contribution

Well you know

We're all doing what we can

*********

(for the tea party, just for fun)

You say you'll change the constitution

Well you know

We'd all love to change your head

*********

Don't you know it's gonna be alright

Basically I don't think zombie occupation is going to help anything.  I don't even think it's addressing the real problem. In the words of Forest Gump:

That's all I have to say about that.

September 11, 2001

Cliche question of the day . . .  "Where were you when the towers hit?"  Cliche statement of the day "I remember exactly where I was on September 11.  I was . . . " But you can't help but ask and tell your story on this ten year anniversary.  So here's my story. (My memory is very fragmented, so I'll just share the parts I remember.)

I was ten years old. It was a Tuesday.  I remember going to school and I walked into my fifth grade classroom and the TV was on and everyone was watching it, which was weird because my teacher Ms. Goble never had the TV on.  I just remember seeing the plumes of smoke and the fire. I don't think we watched it for very long though. I remember watching the replays over and over again after school and everyone seemed so shocked.  I didn't really understand it.  I remember watching the towers go down and hearing everyone screaming as the towers fell. I remember watching people running and covered with dust and coughing and freaking out.  I remember being surprised when my mom told me that nobody expected the towers to actually fall.  I remember thinking that lots of people must have gotten hurt, but it never occurred to me that people had died. I don't think I really had any sort of idea what death really was at the time. No one I had known had ever died before. I truly thought that it was just a matter of finding all the people in the rubble and then getting them to the hospital and the doctors would make them all better.  I really didn't think anyone would die, I just thought they'd be spending a long time in the hospital.  It made sense to me why having family and friends hurt and in the hospital would make people really sad, because I knew from experience that being sick and in the hospital was not fun. I didn't really realize just how mind blowing and scary and crazy the attacks really were.  It wasn't until my parents explained to me that they had all died that it even occurred to me that they would have died.  I still don't think I fully understood it.  But I do remember going to Choral Collections - my song/dance class - and one of the girls in my class said it was her birthday.  I remember thinking "Today has to be the saddest day to have a birthday.  Every one from now on is going to think of this all of this sadness and pain every year on her birthday."

I remember how sad everyone was after and how everyone was holding up pictures and looking for their family and friends.  I thought that they'd all eventually find the people they were looking for.  I remember everyone flocking to Ground Zero.  I remember everyone talking about how life would never be the same.  I remember everyone being really scared. I remember feeling really bad for President Bush because I thought that it would be really hard to be the president during something like that.  I remember how Patriotic everyone was after.  Flags flying everywhere. I remember everyone talking about how everyone was extra nice to each other.  I always thought (almost) everyone was nice so I didn't really notice a huge difference.  I remember everyone being so together.  I remember thinking how great it was that we were so united as a country and that it would never change.  I remember thinking that we would find Osama Bin Laden.  I remember General Conference being disrupted by President Bush telling us we were going to war with Iraq.  I remember it was on my mom's birthday.  I remember feeling glad that we were going to get the bad guys.  I remember President Hinckley announcing it in General Conference.

Ten years later, I understand the attacks and the affect they had on the victims and their families and on the nation better then I did when they actually happened. A few years ago I met a woman who was actually in Washington D.C. on September 11. Last year I watched a documentary on September 11 and it went through everything.  It's heartbreaking to hear about those last phone calls.  Those last moments.  When I see the footage now, I actually understand what was happening.  I think I probably mourned the loss more last year than I did when it actually happened, because I get it now.  And I think that's why my generation was so happy when we got Osama bin Laden. I don't think we should have been celebrating death but he has been the real life "evil villain" since we were little.  September 11 had a big impact on us then, but I think we understand it better now.  Osama bin Laden has been the evil villain about as long as Lord Voldemort.  In a way, they are one and the same.

I went to New York and the only pictures I haven't posted on this blog yet, are the pictures of the World Trade Center. Actually seeing the area and the reconstruction was a big deal for me.  We also visited the Memorial and the Museum (gift shop). Here are the pictures I took.

Articles:
 ksl.com - The day that `changed everything'.
  Internet Archive
 If you want something with a little lighter spirt go here.
 If you want to hear what an apostle has to say on this momentous day you can go here.

Music that makes me think of September 11.
"Superman" - Five for fighting
"Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue" - Toby Keith
"I'm Already There" - Lonestar