9/11

On this eleventh anniversary of this somber day, I am dedicating this post to remembrance. This day, exactly eleven years ago, I was laying in my bed thinking. It had been a day of confusion...I felt lost and scared and alone. I remember I was in sixth grade, sitting in what was supposed to be the block I had Spanish. A guidance counselor was telling us the most up-to-date information about the attacks, waiting for us to ask questions. I was nervous. What if I had family flying that day? My Nana was in Las Vegas trying to get home... Was she involved in any way?

After hearing that my Nana was safe in Las Vegas, I watched the news with my parents. I stared at the images of firefighters rummaging through steaming piles of scrap metal. It was had to believe that it was once intricately welded into some of the tallest buildings in the world. It was amazing to me; something so strong and so tall reduced to dust in a matter of minutes. How would we ever recover?

But we did. We became stronger. Our true colors shone, bright and true. Red, white and blue unfading, not running. We fought and we decided to rebuild. These actions and values are what built this country:  dedication, determination, pride and freedom. Two-hundred years later these are still present in each and every one of us. At the end of the day, even in this recession, we are proud of this country and happy to live within these boarders.

So tonight I thank those physically fighting overseas for our country; you are so brave and I owe my freedoms to you. My heart and prayers are with those who lost family members eleven years ago. You are always in our hearts. Always remember. Always.

*NYC*

Gotta Love the...

...nice cool breeze today. It's a small glimpse into my favorite season...Fall or Autumn depending on how politically correct you would like to be... But there was no better feeling on my bike ride this morning than this same cool breeze cooling me down as I huffed up the three hills on my route.

www.boston.com

Today on my commute into Boston, we passed the two of the newer wind turbines on route 93. These huge structures serve a purpose; they are a clean way of collecting renewable energy for consumers in the suberbs of this historical Massachusetts city. To some they may be ugly strcutures, defiling the Boston skyline. To me they give me hope that we, as a society, are opening our minds to new and innovative ideas; today the turning of the blades gave me hope that things will continue to turn, move and change.

Last night I was a little down in the dumps. Just one of those moods. I was a little upset that my plans to go for a bike ride with a friend were canceled. And this lead to feelings of discouragement at the fact that I was still living at home. Don't get me wrong, I love my family and am so thankful that they let me come home after I graduated college. I just saw myself living in Boston if I had a job there. And I'm not...A girl can get sad every now and again right?

But this windmill on my way to work this morning opened my eyes...life keeps going, moving, changing. It creates different expereinces, memories, and energies. And I need to stop thinking about how my "life plan" isn't playing out like I thought it would. I need to float, be flexable, move with the changing winds. Stay positive, stay strong, and keep the hope that I've had all my life; everything will work out!

Fresh Flowers, Fresh Hope

I have this obsession with flowers. I tend to buy them every other week at a farm in town. I do love the stereotypical favorites like roses, daffodils, or daises. But when it comes down to it, I am in love with all flowers. Peonies, violets, sunflowers, hydrangeas, even the dandelions (I know they are weeds, but I can't help it!). I feel a special connection to flowers... Some people may have bad memories with flowers; they are one of the most common gifts for the loss of a loved one and usually present at funerals... Others may not see the value in them; what purpose do they actually serve? Here is what they do for me...

Their spectacular earthy smell, the unbeatable splash of color in any room, and their elegant structure are some of the most common reasons for flowers being present in a home. For me, they serve as hope and simplicity. Coming into a room and seeing flowers immediately puts me at ease. These blossoms, which were previously growing on a larger stem and plant, are still beautiful. They hold their shape even though they are no longer connected to their root system. In some cases, they keep blooming for days and days. How is this possible? They are not receiving any more nutrients from their roots, other than a vase of water. They receive minimal sun, only that of artificial lights or the rays sneaking through windows. No insects (hopefully) will grace their petals and leaves. Essentially they are dying, their lives shortly coming to an end. Yet, they are still so magnificently beautiful....

The world these flowers knew is over as they knew it, yet they still blossom, bloom, and keep their fragrance. They display their beauty to the world around them showing just what they are made of. They are stripped down to nothing and they still shine. They don't know that their world is over, or if they do, they don't let the world know it... I want to be like a flower and seeing them gives me hope. Even in my darkest days, I want to bloom. I may see the end of the road that I am traveling on, but I will not act like it. I will hold my values and beliefs close to me while blossoming all along the way. I will be a flower for the world to see, be positive and strong through the ugliness of the world. Hold true to who I am, simple, a bud waiting to show its true colors!

 So buy flowers for people who are important to you with these thoughts in mind. Buy flowers for those that you may not like, it may brighten their day and give them hope... It would work on me!

(All photos were taken by Sarah Viafora.)