A visit to New York City is always an exciting time for me. The sights and sounds of the city intrigue me. On our most recent trip in November Chris and I visited the 9/11 Memorial . It was a sobering visit. I can honestly say that I have never visited a museum that was as quiet as this museum one.
The people that have worked so hard to make this museum and memorial a reality have worked incredibly hard to make it a true memorial to those who lost their lives as a result of the actions of that day. In my mind they have succeeded.
There were several areas that really struck me and one of those was the National Tribute Quilt. I love quilts and know that they are great ways to tell a story. This one is no different.
I honestly stood and looked at this quilt for longer than any other exhibit in the memorial museum.
More than 3, 500 squares adorn this work of art.
The detailed quilt blocks each made by individuals who had a passion to honor someone moved me.
The names and patriotic symbols were beautiful depictions of how much these individuals cared about those that have been memorialized.
I wondered if those that made the squares cried over them as they made them.
I wondered if when they got together to quilt it, to put the blocks together and bind the quilt what the atmosphere of the room was like. 
Were they quiet and reflective? Or were they able to go about doing the work of putting the quilt together without thinking about the seriousness of the work they were doing?
I love how each and every block is different on this masterpiece.
I wonder how many eyes have seen this quilt and wept like I did?
It may be only made of fabric and thread but it is much more than that, isn’t it? A sobering but beautiful reminder of the events of that day in 2001. Thank you to those 4 women in Pennsylvania who spearheaded this project and saw it through from start to finish.
15 Comments
Leave a commentBeautiful, absolutely beautiful. I wonder who designed this – it would have been a monumental effort just to figure out that and then assign squares to different people. I’m going to share this….
I thought the same thing—I imagine the ladies that originally started the idea did the layout but I could be wrong. I didn’t do any more research about it other than what was in the museum.
What a stunning quilt! I’m sure it was very emotional too view. I haven’t been to see it yet. Your photos are beautiful. I can imagine there were a lot of tears shed making this quilt. Thank you for sharing!
Thanks for stopping by and taking the time to comment, Mindy. It was really moving. The whole museum was moving. I took so many pictures but it is difficult to write the posts because it is so emotional.
This is the most incredible work of art! The time, effort and dedication of these four women is unbelievable. The quilt is a dedication, not only to those who lost on 9/11, but to the spirit of the American people themselves. God bless them all!
Yes. To all of those things. I have so many posts that I can share about this museum but they are difficult to write. It is just so emotional still for so many and visiting there was definitely not a light hearted atmosphere. But it is an impressive and important place to visit.
9/11….the death of innocence and the birth of…………well, sadly, the “united resolve” has evaporated for the most part. I pray daily that we are able to move beyond the current divide (the elections only served to be the catalyst for all that was really brewing beneath the surface!!!) and become, once again, “one nation, under God, indivisible”. Unity and one-ness has been left in the dust with the focus on the individual’s ego/”rights”, etc. A few years back the Army launched an ad campaign that exemplified the problem that was coming to the surface………”be an Army of one”!!!! I could already see that a lone dissenter carried much more weight than the opposing majority. I know that this comment is hugely on the “negative” side of things (or so it appears) but it is today’s reality and not to face it will result in the destruction of all that we hold dear.
And here I thought you would comment on the quilt part of the post. 🙂 And I remember that Army ad—I had forgotten all about it.
Aww…
@Doreen, it’s a paradox–what we’re united *about* is the liberty of each separate individual. Good for meditation.
Now I am crying. At your words. This grassroots from the heart tribute shows how intimately the tragedy of 9/11 affected each of us. This attack, the subsequent loss stitched into our souls uncertainty and fear. But also hope and resilience. I, too, would have stood and studied that quilt and cried.
Yep. That’s it exactly. We all experienced it in different ways but yet in similar ways. It is one of those pivotal events in our lifetime that we will always remember and tributes like this one just emphasize that.
when words aren’t enough…..
A beautiful tribute.
What a fine and moving tribute.
Have you been to the Holocaust museum in DC? I went twice the last time we were in DC. Another very quiet and powerful museum.