It was great day. The 9/11 memorial brings back memories – of the horror and shock, but also of the amazing unity we all experienced in the aftermath.
The highlight for me was the arrival of three of the Pearl Hikers on the Carrigain summit. Someone earlier had said that the were all women who lost loved ones in the 9/11 attacks. They do an annual hike together to commemorate 9/11. There were more of them out on Carrigain, but the others stopped at the ridge. I did not want to pry, but I wish I knew more about their stories and their activities. They thanked us for being there and for having the flag. Some of them indicated that they had gained some comfort and consolation from these memorials. One said she went to this web site sometimes to bolster her spirits. It left me feeling that the times I participated were way more than worth it to participate in this, and regret the time I bailed due to a bad cold. The expression of solidarity and empathy were the main reasons I have participated.
