In Remembrance of People- Beyond Dates and Stats

Remember the Alamo!
Remember Pearl Harbor!
Remember 9/11!
Remember Hurricane Katrina!
These are the types of slogans that mark great and tragic events.

All Killed, No Survivors.
The American Fleet was caught unaware and its Pacific Battle Fleet was sunk and over 3,000 military personnel were killed.
With Horror America watched as the towers came down killing thousands trapped inside.
The Hurricanes brought some of the worse death and destruction caused by the power of nature to the United States.

Those were the types of headlines we read or lead stories we heard over the media.
There are alot of anniversaries that are being experienced in this time period.

The 8th Anniversary of the attacks of 9/11 are coming up remembering the nearly 3,000victims from 90 nations that perished on that day.
The 4th Anniversary of Katrina occured Aug 29, 2009 and Rita will be Sept. 24, 2009
And Hurricane Ike will have its one year anniversary on Sept 13.

A lot of people died from those tragic events and billions of dollars of destruction was left behind in their wake. As I have just demonstrated plenty of statistics and dates were thrown out and the data could fill up hundreds of sheets of paper.

What can not be measured is how much more was really lost in the events. I mean you can rebuild levees, and rec centers, and housing areas and theaters and sporting venues- but you can't replace an infant that did not see its second birthday, a husband that will no longer come home from work, a mother raising children or grandchildren on her own, a tree that was once there, a garden that now longer thrives, love that is shattered and broken apart, a pet that can never be replaced- you get the point...how can you possibly measure the loss of such things in the world or in our hearts and memories- and some do not even have photographs of the memories, because those were lost as well.

Whatever the anniversary that is coming that you face, even if you don't know me, I just want you to know that people like me are thinking about you. Praying for you. Pulling for you.

You have been on a long, hard and lonely journey.

I see many of your faces from the ground zeros I have served in. I can only tell you of the compassion for you that wells up in my heart and soul for all you are doing to recover, slowly, day by day and step by step.

You are beyond and number, a statistic, a program or an anniversary date.

You are my sister or brothers and I remember you and your losses and I pray in hope for you now and pray others that are near you are surrounding you in love, encouragement and hope.

Blessings to all of you, victims of tragic events and survivors of life altering events.
Edward