Revealing Roots and Branches: Memory Jogger Monday

Monday, November 30, 2015

Memory Jogger Monday - November 30

By debaird (http://www.flickr.com/photos/debaird/107053474/)
[CC BY-SA 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

What were some of the major community, national, and world events you lived through? How did these events change your life?

By Kennedy Space Center
[Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Challenger Explosion - January 28, 1986
I was 14 years old and in 9th grade English class when the Challenger Space Shuttle exploded after takeoff. We had a television in our classroom and we were watching some kind of video that related to our class topic. Another teacher ran in our room and wanted our TV. Instead our teacher turned the TV to the news and for the remainder of class we watched the news showing the shuttle explode over and over again. Children all over the country were watching this shuttle launch as it was the first time a teacher was part of the crew. I put together a scrapbook of various newspaper and news magazine clippings from this event and the aftermath that affected the space program. I even wrote a poem about it and my brother created a computer graphic of the shuttle.

By SSGT F. LEE CORKRAN
[Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Berlin Wall - November 9, 1989
I was a freshman in college and had just come home from class and turned on the TV to see on every station the same images of mobs of people celebrating and climbing over the Berlin Wall. Every station was replaying Ronald Reagan's speech from two years prior calling on Gorbachev to "Tear down this wall!" I never thought in my lifetime that Germany would be reunited. And here it was taking place before my eyes. My roommates and I stayed glued to the TV for the rest of the night. We were witnessing major changes in world history.

By National Park Service
[Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Terrorism - September 11, 2001
I was on my way driving from Bountiful, Utah to Logan, Utah to do some consulting work at Utah State University when I heard on the radio the events transpiring on the East Coast. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. I woke my my husband by calling him and having him turn on the TV. The 2nd tower had just been hit and soon there were reports from the Pentagon and orders for all planes to be grounded. It was an overwhelming flood of emotions. Massive terrorism and destruction on our own soil. And within seconds of feeling so overwhelmed, I felt complete peace. It was peace from the Comforter letting me know that I was okay and that I did live in a world filled with darkness and that I could choose how to feel that day; that I could choose the light. I arrived at the University and on every screen was news about the attacks. I was able to accomplish my work without distraction. On the way home I was well aware of the contrail-free skies and the nearly empty roads and parking lots. It was good to be home with my husband and to know that all my family near and far were safe.

2002 Winter Olympics - February 2002

By Journalist 1st Class Preston Keres
(http://www.news.navy.mil/list_single.asp?id=794)
[Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

I was a volunteer for the 2002 Winter Olympics. Actually my volunteering started the year before as I was a volunteer driver for the 2001 Paralympic World Cup Biathlon at Soldier Hollow. During the 2002 Winter Olympics I served as an Accreditation Associate. I provided Olympic credentials to service providers (police, firemen, Secret Service, FBI, etc). It was great to watch the torch run throughout the city. To see people come together after being in turmoil only months before. To see the love and humanity that exists when people all over the world come together in a positive common purpose. It was nearly magical at times. In the middle of it all, I had an emergency appendectomy. I quickly got right back to finishing my service and enjoying some of the perks of being a volunteer. My husband was also a volunteer and he worked on the Opening and Closing Ceremonies on the Light and Sound Team. He was on the stadium floor as the flag from the World Trade Center came through - so close that he could have reached out and touched it. It was hallowed ground and a time of healing for our country.