6/6/2022

Just a few miles away from the Glessner Bridge was the Flight 93 Memorial in Stoystown, PA. I wanted to stop here to see the field where the plane went down. It's a National Memorial now with a museum detailing the events of that morning down to the minute. Exhibits displayed the personal items of the passengers and crew and parts of the plane wreckage. One of the most moving exhibit in the museum was the phone recordings of the passengers to their families once they realized the plane was hijacked. Listening to the last calls of the crew and passenger was chilling and moving. Some were scared, some were tearful and some were stoic. Everyone wanted to say their final goodbyes and to express their love for their family. We get so caught up in the multitudes of BS details in everyday life that it's so easy to lose sight of the big picture, what's important to us if we knew today is the last day, if you knew the next hour may be your last. Some may find it too grim to visit these places on a trip where you're supposed to be having fun but I find these sites to be a good reminder of what actually happened. It's not just some historic event from a lng time ago, it's not just something terrible happened to some nebulous people. These are real people with real voices, seeing their photos is one thing but actually listening to their voices, hearing their fears, their uncertainty, and their bravery creates a full person. Being at these places should remind us all of what's truly important in life.