This post is ....
 |
The Survivor’s Tree is my favorite place to be stationed at the 9/11 Memorial plaza when I volunteer.
 |
| The Survivor's Tree |
Mostly because when people walk over to this callery pear
tree that is encircled and tied down, they want to know first that this is in fact
the “Survivor’s Tree.”
(There’s no plaque on purpose as the designers only wanted the names of the victims to be a permanent fixture to the memorial. )
(There’s no plaque on purpose as the designers only wanted the names of the victims to be a permanent fixture to the memorial. )
Then the visitors want to know the story behind it.
The Survivor’s tree is a symbol of hope for not only the
people who survived the attacks on the Twin Towers, but also to a country
and world that struggled to move on from this tragedy.
Hundreds of people, including fellow volunteers, escaped by walking down the Vesey street stairs to safety on that fateful day.
Hundreds of people, including fellow volunteers, escaped by walking down the Vesey street stairs to safety on that fateful day.
Back to the story of the tree, the Survivor's tree was found a month after the attacks buried under
two stories of rubble. By then it was just a little eight foot blackened stump, but it was still
alive. The tree was taken to a nursery
in the Bronx to be nurtured back to health. The tree had bark grafts (similar to skin grafts) and slowly grew and became stronger.
The tree survived being hit by lightning twice and 10 years
after being rescued, it arrived on the memorial plaza only to be knocked down
by Hurricane Irene. A mere eight feet when it was found, it now stands over 35 feet and is growing.
“The Survivor’s Tree” is the only tree that survived on the 16 acre site after the Twin Tower attacks.
Today despite all its trials, it stands under the shadow of
the One World Trade Center.
 |
| New York City 1999 (the twin towers are on the left) |
 |
| One World Trade (Freedom Tower) October 2014 |
***
Sometimes I’ve felt like that tree. Applying for job after
job, constantly being beat down, and facing more rejection that I care to
count. Lead after lead not turning out how I thought it would. I wanted to give
up. I wanted to quit.
And this is exactly
where God wanted me.
Last year when I met Abby Rike during the Amazing Grace 5k,
she said something that I’ll remember for the rest of my life, she said
“I do
think God gives you more than you can handle, so that you will lean on
Him.”
And now, I do too.
I stand on the other side of this experience, more than a
year of unemployment, a year of hard
work not paying off, of heartbreak and struggles, humiliation and defeat, to
having a faith stronger than I’ve ever had before.
To give unto them beauty for ashes, [...] that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He might be glorified. Isaiah 61:3
Life is hard, circumstances are difficult, people sometimes just don’t understand.
You have to choose:
To quit, to give up when the odds are stacked against you.
Or to persevere. When everything is stacked against you, to trust in God’s plan.
To quit, to give up when the odds are stacked against you.
Or to persevere. When everything is stacked against you, to trust in God’s plan.
You will face heartache, you will face trials, but if you
anchor your soul and spirit to one Who holds the future, you will survive and
thrive.
Joy unspeakable, faith unsinkable
Love unstoppable, anything is possible
(Thrive ~ Casting Crowns)
I'll have a lot more 9/11 stories to tell in the future,
because beginning March 24th, I’m trading in my volunteer badge for
one that says “Staff.”
