Oklahoma City Remembered, 20th Anniversary

On a visit to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, we paid our sincerest respects to the victims, survivors and rescuers of the April 19, 1995 bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building. While we walked the grounds of the Outdoor Symbolic Memorial, a sad serenity blanketed that memorial. There was no need to feel rushed as we wandered because it is open 24-7, all year long.  The  Oklahoma City National Memorial Museum, right beside, has an entrance fee.  For detailed information, you can call 405 609-8859, 405.235.3313 or 888.542.HOPE . Also, please  visit their website at  https://oklahomacitynationalmemorial.org/visit/.

Gates of Time at each end of the reflecting pool.  One gate is marked 9:01, the other 9:03. "The Gates of Time forever frame a moment of destruction and tragedy. The 9:01 gate is a symbolic reference to the last minute of innocence for our nation in regard to domestic terrorism.The 9:03 gate is a symbolic reference to the first moment of recovery, the moment when grieving, and healing, began. The time of 9:02 a.m. stretches between the two, presenting a tragically long minute in which citizens were killed, survived and changed forever." -taken from Nation Park Service, Oklahoma Memorial at http://www.nps.gov/okci/sitefaqs.htm.

9:03

These chairs are placed where each of the 168  loved ones fell, representing the empty seats at the tables of the families.  They light at night to honor the bright spirit  of each of those lost. The smaller chairs represent the children taken. The Survivor Tree elm is in the background.

Written on the wall of the building beside the reflecting pond, which would be turned into the
Oklahoma City National Memorial Museum.

Look closely to see the cross in the pattern on the wall surrounding the statue of Jesus, below.

 Located on the corner across from the memorial, a statue of Jesus was erected at St. Josepeh's Old Cathedral. This church was almost complete destroyed.  The sculpture is entitled 
 And Jesus Wept.

As we were about to leave, my brother, Bob, pointed out this robin.  Thinking how we all should never forget those innocents gone from us, this bird represented the hope for 
a peaceful future for us all.