Oklahoma City Memorial

This week my travels took me to Oklahoma City, OK. Being the ever curious traveler, I made it a point to do several things on the Oklahoma City “must do” list. I visited the zoo (one of the top ten zoos in the country), had a steak at Cattlemen’s Restaurant (as seen on the Travel Channel and in the travel book “1000 Places To Go before you Die”), saw a movie at the luxurious Moore Warren Theater (heated seats…wow!), and, perhaps most memorable, visited the site of the Oklahoma City bombing.

As you know, on April 19, 1995, the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building was bombed. 168 people were killed during this senseless act of violence (the details of which I will not describe here so as not to give more power to the perpetrators). The memorial consists of two twin gates with the moments before (9:01am) and after (9:03am) the bombing etched on each respective gate. Between the two gates lies a serene reflecting pool that pays homage to the devastating moment the bomb struck. Facing the pool are 168 small and large empty chairs, which represent the children and adults who lost their lives.

What struck me most about the memorial was that it was not only moving but also conceptually brilliant. The feeling of gravity and serenity is captivating. I lingered near the empty chairs and reflecting pool longer than I planned but my spirit was revitalized by the meditative moment. It may sound trite but the hour I spent at the memorial truly reminded me that our next moments aren't promised . . .

- S. Christine