Absence, loss, reflection, and an impression of exceptionally soft ground are features of Michael Arad's design for the September 11 memorial at Ground Zero in New York. The focal points of the memorial will be two enormous underground pools that will descend from the areas that used to be the footprints of the two skyscrapers. Each will be fed by continuously cascading waterfalls. Names of the victims will be grouped around the pools according to their association in life. The area around the memorials will be surrounded by trees and moss.

 

It's a big idea symbolically, but it's also a huge investment of time and space, not to mention water, in keeping tragedy alive. And it's an investment in emotion. In the lengthy and cantankerous discussions that preceded the final choice of the memorial design, many people argued that office buildings should be constructed again on the site. Those who wanted the end of life to be the focal point won over. Three thousand people died in a shockingly violent event, and we need a beautiful memorial to remember them and what happened to them, but not all 9/11 commemorative projects and events should focus forever on grieving and remembering the horror. Life, resilience, beauty, and the determination to prevail should also be qualities renewed and saluted with September 11 remembrances. 

 

There will be thousands of ways of remembering September 11 this week. Here are a few unusual and particularly life-affirming ones:

 

The organization, Groundswell, a coalition of interfaith partners, has a project to bring beauty and meaning to New York on the tenth anniversary of September 11. They are inviting people from all over the world to write their thoughts and prayers for healing in New York and the entire planet and email them in. All these good wishes will then be woven into a colorful tapestry that will be displayed in prominent places around the city. It costs nothing to send in your own wish, but they do ask for donations.

 

Big Sunday, a volunteer organization in Los Angeles, is hosting a food drive and breakfast on 9/11. Donations of food will be donated to needy L.A. families, and the day will start with a breakfast for the volunteers, timed to coincide with the time in California when the attacks started taking place.

 

The American Friends Service Committee is sponsoring an interfaith service in Des Moines, Iowa on 9/11/11. Partners presenting the service include the Interfaith Alliance of Iowa, Des Moines Area Religious Council, the Des Moines Ecumenical Peace Committee, and the American Friends Service Committee as well as faith leaders from Islamic, Christian, Jewish, Unitarian Universalist, Sikh, Buddhist, and other faith communities.

 

The annual Tunnel to Towers Run is sponsored by the eponymous organization that was founded in memory of Stephen Stiller, a firefighter who, when he heard about the burning towers, grabbed his gear and ran through the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel to the World Trade Center. He was killed when the towers fell, and his brother launched this commemorative run. Tunnel to Towers supports orphaned and abused children, firefighters who have been wounded in the course of duty, and the families of men and women serving in the military.

 

 

Photo by Maria Andrade

 

As part of Lead Like a River, the program for leaders that Eugene Hughes and I led in Morocco last month, we had scheduled a one-day fast and solo in the Atlas Mountains for the participants. Once we arrived at our main base, the beautiful Kasbah du Toubkal, however, we began to wonder if this plan would be feasible. We would be hiking up into the mountains and staying at a trekking lodge, but those rugged mountains are both wilderness and the homes and pasturelands of the Berber people. We didn't want to disturb the people and their animals, and we also didn't want our people to be disturbed during their day of reflection. Another consideration was Ramadan, which would have begun shortly before the day of the proposed fast. How might that affect the plan?

 

When Eugene and I spoke with our guide, we learned of an unforeseen problem: at night wild dogs wander down from the peaks to snatch sheep and goats from their pens. It would be dangerous for people to remain out after dark. We began to discuss alternatives, and within ten minutes had devised a solution that would enable our program to blend with and respect the traditions of Ramadan, while making sure people stayed safe.

 

On the morning of the solo the Lead Like a River participants rose when it was still dark, and we all joined our hosts for the first meal of the day, Suhoor. The first call to prayer rang through the village soon afterward, and one at a time the seven leaders in business and the arts stepped into the pale early morning light for a solo and fast that would last from dawn to dusk. During the day, they reflected on their leadership gifts, the obstacles that were preventing them from manifesting those gifts more fully, and what was calling them forth. Although they were not deliberately following the precepts of Ramadan during the solo time, they were, in fact, in harmony with those spiritual ideals, for during Ramadan Muslims not only fast but also take extra time for deep personal reflection.

 

Everyone returned to the trekking lodge at around 7:15 in the evening, before the fourth call to prayer, at which time we shared the breaking-fast meal, Iftar, which began with eating a date and included a variety of foods such as soup, boiled eggs, cheese, cold meat, and sweets. After Iftar, our group sat on cushions on the roof, and people began telling the stories of their solo day. After the fifth and final call to prayer, we all shared a larger meal of couscous, chicken, vegetables, and fresh fruits. We continued the storytelling until late into the night.

 

Whereas our hosts were accustomed to working with tourists who do not observe Ramadan, they were pleased that we wanted to join the rhythms of this holy time. We, in turn, were grateful that our program could fit in with their time of observance.

 

Eugene and I will be offering Lead Like a River again next year, most likely in July.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

On my husband Andy's and my 25th wedding anniversary this May 3, we were on our way to Vermont for the sad task of dealing with the sudden death of my brother. We finally celebrated our anniversary a few weeks ago by spending a couple of days in New York City, where we used to live. One stop was the (Quaker) Friends Meeting House, where we had our wedding ceremony. The place was closed, but kind  and congratulatory members of the staff let us in and obliged us by taking our picture in the courtyard, where we had emerged after the ceremony.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~