On Sunday, September 11th, I was lucky enough to be a part of such a beautiful event at The Riverside Church which was aimed to commemorate the lives lost on that date ten years ago.  When I walked into the church I immediately felt a force of peace overcome me.  I had used that day to reflect, and I had looked at videos of the towers collapsing in honor of remembering what our country went through that day.  I wanted to cry for the people that died.  But after a long day of solemnity, being in the church reminded me of the strength that our country has had to overcome and rebuild within the last ten years.

When I walked in I was handed an origami crane and a program.  The cranes were beautiful, but I didn’t know what they were for.  Ana told me about the Japanese legend that allows a person one wish after folding a thousand origami cranes.  I was immediately impressed by such a beautiful symbol.  A wish for healing, as these cranes represented, is not unrealistic.  Then I saw that at the top of the program given out to each of the participants of the night, it read “Pray for Japan and 9.11.” I loved that we were together with Japan in this struggle for healing.  A lot can come from unity.

The performance of the night was by all means the most impressive.  The unity was made literal as the Japan and U.S. Memorial Orchestra and Chorus came together with members of the Queens College Orchestra and Chorus.  The orchestra and chorus had a power that overtook the whole sanctuary and captured me in a state of reflection.  The various tones and speeds of different parts of the requiem exhibited many different emotions and had a sense of a story to it–one of pain followed by hope.

What stayed with me the most was that such power can come from a piece whose words I couldn’t even comprehend.  Despite that, knowing that such an amazing message remained within the piece made it even more captivating.  At some point, the words “dona eis requiem” was sung, which means “grant them eternal rest.”  When I think about these words I immediately think of the victims of the tragedy in Japan and in Manhattan.  May they indeed forever have eternal rest.

As I look back at where I was on September 11th, I can remember everything perfectly.  It was a beautiful day, and I was in third grade.  We were told that we couldn’t go outside because there was too much bird waste on the ground (which we easily believed).  I was confused, however, by the fact that not one child was released without an adult, and every single adult that walked in had a panicked, fierce look on his/her face.  When my mom picked me up early and rushed me quickly into our green mini-van, she had the same face.  Everyone was scared and devastated on that day.  I will never, ever forget the worry that overtook my family’s lives knowing that my father and grandfather were in Manhatten.  Our classmate, Caitlin, had a similar experience.  No matter how small each of our memories are, I know that we can all say each one will remain with us forever.

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