So many innocent people affected by something so uncontrollable - terrorism. A hate for mankind. So tragic. So sudden. So many wonderful people lost.
As I commemorated the day, I sat on my couch and watched a special about the WTC and a story that touched me in a very special way. The story was about a tree.
In the World Trade Center plaza, there was a pear tree that was completely demolished during the attacks. The tree was completely broken and burned leaving only pieces of the truck and broken branches. During the clean-up of the site, a man by the name of Ron Vega found the tree and saw life in this tree. This tree survived. So, he had it dug up and replanted in a farm in New Jersey. A few years later, Ron was put in charge of rebuilding the site and he never forgot about this tree - this scarred pear tree was a symbol of survival.
For 9 years, the tree showed signs of recovery, until 2010 when the tree suffered a blow from a really bad wind storm in the area. The tree's roots were pulled from the ground, and it was knocked over and had crashed into a fence. Once again, this tree was repaired and brought back to life. The tree was wrapped and anchored to the ground - the team was determined to keep it alive. The tree survived again and again!
This is a story close to my heart.
Our very good friend Jason Tirri works on the rebuilding of the World Trade Center. Last year, he was kind enough to give us a tour and told us this same story. As he walked us through the Freedom Tower, and finally through the grounds, he spoke of this tree and the fact that just two weeks earlier, the "Survivor Tree" bloomed for the very first time. My eyes filled up with tears. I couldn't help but feel a connection to that tree.
I fortunately was not in the World Trade Center during the attacks. I was not even in New York City. But I was in college, and remember the devastation it caused around the world. My heart was empty that day and still is - for all of those people lost. But that tree is a symbol for many things. Some things that I, myself has experienced. And that's survivorship.
That tree has been beaten, burned and demolished - from the outside. But something in that tree is staying strong and is fighting to survive.
This is a post to remind people that if you have the will to survive, you will. Keep fighting and never give up! Your body is a just a shell - it's what's inside that truly matters.
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