This memorial was created in the few sleepless nights since the attack on the World Trade Center on 9/11/01. Many nights have I walked out onto the deck of the penthouse here in the heart of New York City and meditated on the presence and the value of the image provided to my view by the two tall monoliths. In these past few nights since the terrorists civil confrontation against the people of the United States I have walked out to look down on the former WTC now referred to as Ground Zero. The first thing I notice is their familiar and missing form. From form to presence I then noticed the absence of their light. I immediately felt the loss of comfort and reassurance such a view has always granted me. Though in as much as I might have taken their presence for granted it is now a luxury and a commodity that has been both violated and indiscriminately robbed not only from my self, and from my sight, but my heart and the hearts of all Free World and American People.
     As I watched over the recovery with constant prayer and concern one can not contain one’s care and love for the untold thousands whose lives were snuffed out like the flame from a candle by some crazed Kamikaze Moths. With the prevailing winds blowing the smoke and dust towards the East my eyes then fell on Lady Liberty in clearer air just off shore to the West. Almost seeming as if she were blowing the ash and smoke away from her ward. Not failing to notice that while the rest of New York City is darkened with sadness and sorrow she stands there tall and proud holding her light ever higher as if providing a guiding light over the drastic and dramatic rescue efforts.
        I would stand often praying for guidance and strength. For the hope of survivors and for the safety of those who are risking life and limb to save who ever they can in these most precious moments of life. I then realized that like Lady Liberty we people, since the first days of early man, quite often will light a fire, a torch, or even a candle to honor our dead, our missing, and to pray for recovery and continuance. In this way I came to realize that the symbolic gesture of lighting two tall candles side by side might grant both comfort to my injured and breaking heart as it would ease my eyes and relieve my mind by giving me back a once familiar image to my eyes and reassurance to the concerns of my mind. I went out and got two tall glass candles, commonly referred to as prayer candles. As soon as I had them placed and said a prayer as I lit them I noticed their immediate effect.
     That being the psychological replacement of the lost twin lights on our skyline with the two twin lights placed at level sight where I can see them twinkle and flicker while I meditate for recovery or relegate on discovery. As it were there hasn’t been much of a return to life as normal.
     With so many calls and concern from and for family and friends I thought what has worked for me might work well for others. I photographed the candles and made up a flier which I posted and distributed around the city. It is a simple memorial in as much as we all will light a candle at some point or another throughout or vigilance. So why not make it two candles of equal proportion and proportionate in stature, girth, and placement (or as close as one might come). Yet this simple difference makes the memorial set of candles much more unique and significant to our cause. Still, I do have friends in other culture and countries who will argue that the lighting of a single flame brings solidarity so check with your council or leaders of faith (or with your own personal consciousness of faith or that of your loved ones we all are praying for). I got such an overwhelming reaction I was asked by everyone to post it on the web.
        With phone lines tied up relatives had a hard time getting through. The Internet seemed to be the best way to get the word out to everyone that I was fine and to hear back from friends I knew who were in the Financial District that morning. With all the concern and many responses I found myself writing out letters on my daily experiences and general well being that I could then send out to everyone through out the days that followed. Everyone expressed how much my words had helped them and asked if they could send these personal responses to other friends. Whereby the second part of this memorial grew. The personal dialogue and essays.
     Please keep in mind that these were written from me to my friends and family and I only publish them here in case there are others who might want to share in these thoughts and experiences. They are just words... so don’t take offense or take them as notions of any ordained truth. There is absolutely no way, means, or terms by which you, myself, or anyone shall ever make any sense of such a senseless act. Don’t try to validate the crime and injustices and rest assured there may not be any validation to retaliation. Which is the hardest thing our nations leaders must face. They must scrutinize the situation and the facts at hand and summarize a course of action which they might know has not much of chance of true validation. No matter what course they take or who they go after there will be argument, deniability, and possible actions. This is the order of war. Of this we may only judge and condemn those who plotted and provoked the further consequence.