Reaction Paper
by realstone2001©¨
¨ ¨ ¨ ¨I sat in the parking lot across from the memorial watching the flow of people. Surprised at the number there at this time of night. I walked the fence several times as they did, reading the messages, looking at the pictures, trying not to touch the baby shoes, gathering the courage to go inside.
There are thousands of what look like dirt fingerprints on the steel (I suppose) outer shell of the entrance walls. To me, they are much more poignant somehow than the fingerprint ceramic towels inside the memorial. Maybe they are supposed to be there, maybe not. Just like the bombing, maybe it was supposed to happen and maybe not.
Even though there are crowds of people walking about, the area is filled with quiet, except for an occasional hushed voice, the sound of flowing water and a single bird's cry in the night.
I look up into the night sky and see a spotlight shinning from a building blocks away. The light highlights a swam of moths, miniature bodies of bright white in the smoking light. There are few birds and so the moths can enjoy a few more hours of living.
Looking at the broken walls of what is left of the Murrah Federal Building, brings to mind that mankind has been murdering itself for eons, and sadly we may continued to do so until the end of time. Stone and flesh are not permanent. Only our faith and hope is.
There were children playing in the building that morning and tonight there are children playing in the remains.
I'm glad that I went tonight. The night for me always puts a softer face on the things too harsh to endure in the sunlight. It is easier to see the trees, grass and deep blue-black sky where once cars, glass, and paper filled the space. Where broken walls and lighted glass chairs and quiet contemplation have taken the place of children's laughter, coloring books and crayons.
The flashes of light from unseen cameras vex me. It's like lightening in the dark without the thunder. I expect thunder.
As I walked back to my car, I notice a figure standing in a window in a building behind the parking lot. I wonder if someone was looking out a window of the Murrah Building at 9:00 a.m., April 19, 1995.