For those of us old enough to have lived through, and been mindful of, the tragedy of September 11, 2001, I am sure as that day unfolded, each of us believed there could never be another event that would similarly impact our collective lives. I know that most folks will never forget that fateful day, and the anniversary date stirs up many images that we wish we could unsee.
But then 2020 came along … a new year, a new decade, full of hope and promise, until the words “Coronavirus” and “COVID-19” became our new nemesis. And here we are, immersed in this pandemic for six months and still unsure of what lies ahead.
In a way, it’s just as scary as that sunny, late Summer morn 19 years ago today.
If I may offer a few moments of zen …
Today’s post is about beauty and peace, but not at a large park along a waterway, or on a woodsy trail. This time I stepped into a prayer garden. It was a muggy morning with overcast skies that threatened rain, thus I didn’t want to stray too far from home.
Just a few days before, I was walking back from the Park and stopped to chat with Joe, a follower of my blog and neighbor from the next block over. Joe was doing some yardwork. After we discussed current events and the sad demise of the big Willow tree at Buckingham Park, which venue we both frequented as kids, our conversation turned to photography.
I first met Joe in Autumn 2018 at Council Point Park where we were both focusing (literally) on the same tree which was ablaze in shades of red and gold. Parker was also part of the photo-taking experience that morning as he danced around our feet. After a brief introduction and comments on this beautiful tree, I mentioned my blog and Joe told me about his photo site, so we exchanged e-mail addresses to take a peek at each other’s labor of love. Later that day some beautiful photos of that tree, Harry the Heron and a very handsome Parker appeared in my e-mail inbox.
In our most-recent conversation, Joe asked if I ever visited Christ the Good Shepherd Church’s prayer garden. I told him I’d not visited in a few years, likely since I last went to give blood donations. He encouraged me to go saying “stop by sometime; it is really beautiful.”
So, at Joe’s suggestion, I found myself in this prayer garden, a solitary figure basking in the beauty of the perennials and reading some of the bricks placed along the garden in memory of loved ones.
Come along as we meander through this garden, enjoy the beauty and the peace; then a parting thought.
The pandemic, just like 9/11, has left us weary and wary of everything. I will leave you with this quote:
“Do not let the behavior of others destroy your inner peace.” —Dalai Lama
Linda Schaub
WALKIN', WRITIN', WIT & WHIMSY 
Hello.
What a lovely post! Flowers are very beautiful. Thank you.
Have a good day!
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Hello Sartenada – You made a lovely comment for which I am grateful and that comment went to SPAM. Sorry for that. Those flowers were very beautiful – I agree with you. There were blooms at every twist and turn of that pathway that wound around the entire garden. I was in your country back in 1983. Just a one-day stop on a Scandinavian tour but enjoyed the sights.
Have a good weekend Sartenada.
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Thank you, Linda. Visiting once is better than no visits. Our country is long and most gorgeous parts are in the north. There reindeer roam freely on our Arctic hills or visit even on terraces of summer cottages. I give a link to my latest post. Let’s see, if it will go to Spam again.
Reindeer2 are curious
Happy weekend!
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Sartenada – the comment did not go to SPAM this time – perhaps since we have commented back and forth already? I wanted to tell you exactly where we went in your country, so I searched in my online photo album where I scanned in our itinerary. The trip was three weeks in June of 1983. We went to Norway, Sweden, then took a Baltic Sea Cruise from Stockholm to Helsinki … it was a short, overnight cruise. We landed at 8:00 a.m. in Helsinki and visited Market Square and Amanda Fountain. We went to see the Sibelius Monument and went to try a Finnish sauna as well. We stayed at hotel Voukuna The next day, we left for Leningrad by train (239 miles). Spent three days there, then three days in Moscow and then to Copenhagen for several days – our last night was the Midsummer Festival in Tivoli Gardens across from the hotel – lots of fireworks. It was a very memorable trip. I have visited the link that you sent me – how fun for the reindeer family to be so bold and brazen to come right to the window and door to visit. That is a chance of a lifetime to see them that close – you were lucky you had your camera nearby. Thanks for the link – I really enjoyed it. You have a good weekend too – they fly by too quickly, don’t they?
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Good post for this day- all planned and a top takeaway were the flowers – and coop how you met Joe
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Thanks Yvette – I always try to write something and this occasion of going to the prayer garden and in this horrible year, I knew I could pair them to create a September 11th post.
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🙏🏽💕
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The prayer garden is lovely. Of course, I wouldn’t have seen it if you hadn’t posted the pictures.
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Glad you like the garden Anne. I remembered it as a huge rose garden but really like how they have made it into a perennial garden, the remembrance stones, signs … it has a very calming effect.
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This garden is just something, so much beauty. And the words printed on the plaque that read, even though I walk through the valley of darkness, I shall fear no evil. Because there will always be light at the end of the tunnel. 🙂 Wonderful post Linda.
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Thank you Sandra – glad you enjoyed this post. Everything about this prayer garden is beautiful, tranquil and though it is not huge, just walking through it is very peaceful. I liked the signs too and decided to use the Ten Commandment portion at the end for this sad day. The plane passed overhead while I was there … I probably should have mentioned that in the post, but I thought using the plane image by itself worked fine.
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The prayer garden is serene and tranquil and seems like a soothing place of healing. We do need it. Often I think 9/11 and COVID-19 will be to us like the Great Depression and Pearl Harbor were to our parents and grandparents. Defining moments in our history. May we all be comforting to each other. Thank you for this thoughtful post.
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Thank you Barbara – glad you enjoyed this post. I always try to do something special and peaceful if possible on 9/11.
You are correct in thinking that way – the pandemic has affected each and every one of us and like those events, the aftereffects will last for a long time. There were comments on the radio and also on social media today to the effect that the pandemic should have brought us together like 9/11 did, yet it didn’t happen and likely will not happen … that mirrors your thoughts and mine exactly.
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The garden has a peacefulness about it. Love the quote by the Dalai Lama.
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Yes it does – it was not the longest garden walk I’ve taken, but at every twist and turn there was beauty and peace. I liked the Dalai Lama’s quote as well … words to live by.
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Tranquil Indeed and what great words of wisdom from the Dalai Lama!
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Yes, I could have just sat down on that bench and taken it all in Ruth, but the sky was an angry gray color and I knew storms were moving in by early afternoon. The plane in the last shot of the post was actually going overhead while I was there at the prayer garden. I got home before the storm arrived thankfully. I like those words of wisdom from the Dalai Lama too – I follow him on Twitter.
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It is always nice to find a place of peace we found this temple in the wilds of Scotland back in 2015. We have visited several times since. You may enjoy my old post, Linda.
https://andyfinnegan.wordpress.com/2015/06/27/peace-and-karma-from-scotland/
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Yes, it is good to find a place of peace especially in this modern world that is fraught with problems. Thank you for sending me the link to your former blog post Andy. Strange (to me anyway) to find this Tibetan temple in the wilds of Scotland. I left a comment there at that post, but will leave it here for you as well – not sure if the comment would show up since it was an older version of your current blog:
Indeed that is a peaceful place Andy – you have some very colorful images of this Buddhist Monastery and Tibetan Centre. I am curious about the ribbons that were tied to the wire, but most especially onto the bottom of the tree. Do you know the significance of the ribbons?
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I think they make a wish and hang the ribbon on the tree and also a good luck thing.
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OK, I see – I was wondering if it only pertained to kids since the ribbons were on the lower part of the tree only, then I saw them going up toward the temple so was even more curious. Very nice – thank you for sending this link to me Andy.
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Miss Linda………………………………….I never knew about the Good Shepherd church having such a beautiful prayer garden open to the public………………….thank you for sharing the most beautifully photographed close up flowers………………………….You are one great photographer!……………………I copied down Dalai Lama’s quote…………………………I will treasure it
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Yes, it is beautiful (or was, I took the pictures about three or four weeks ago when the flowers were in peak blooming time). I decided to keep the pictures for 9/11. Thank you for the compliment – I am trying to do better with my photos and it was not difficult here as I could get close up to the blooms. The garden is open to the public and Joe told me that even if the gates are closed for some reason, feel free to go in – they were open when I was there. You and Steven should take a little walk there sometime. I like that quote too Ann Marie.
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What a lovely post Linda, and a lovely place. I like the small memorial bricks. Hard to believe that was 19 years ago…..
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Thank you Joni – it was beautiful and they had those bricks lining the garden walk – not all were inscribed but a good deal of them were. The sky was dark and that plane went overhead as I was there so I decided to make it my 9/11 post. Yes, it is hard to believe … I think everyone will always remember that fateful day. Many have commented on the radio and social media that they thought the pandemic would bring people together like after 9/11 but it has not happen … I don’t believe it will happen either.
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They were united against a common enemy….the terrorists…..now each political party thinks the enemy is the other party! IMO things will get worse.
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Yes, I totally agree Joni … I will be glad when the election is over. There has always been disparaging remarks made to the opponent in a general election, but this is just over the top IMO. COVID just exacerbates everything.
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We have something similar here in one of the watefront parks, where you can pay $100 for a memorial brick. U of T also has that, where you can pay/donate $1000 and get your name and year of graduation on a brick on the campus.
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They have that brick opportunity at Lions Park and Riverview Patriots Park – and, even at Heritage Park’s Botanical Gardens. I went to the Patriots Park one time to walk and it has bricks of mostly all servicemen, living and deceased. At Council Point Park you used to be able to get a memorial tree for $75.00. I wanted to do that for my mom but they said they are not doing the memorial trees anymore. I’ve not read anything about planting Mike’s tree (the walker who was a football coach and passed away in February from cancer). I guess they would have done it at that 5K event in June, but it was cancelled. I was surprised they were planting this tree, but I guess they made an exception for Mike as he was a longtime coach and teacher at the high school.
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What a beautiful and inspiring prayer garden Linda! Thank you for sharing it!
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It was very peaceful to walk through Diane – benches on either side if you wanted to sit. Just nice to step into a calm area with so much commotion going on in the news and everywhere else – across the street on one side were big construction heavy machinery and across from where I parked was the elementary school that had been reduced to rubble that I featured on Wednesday. A little oasis of peace tucked away all by itself. Glad you enjoyed it.
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you can tell you work very hard at making your posts shine Linda!
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Thank you Wayne – I stopped here at the suggestion of Joe. I used to come here for blood donations and have also visited through the years to light candles too. I was all by myself on a fairly gray and gloomy day and while there, that plane passed overhead in the gray sky. I immediately got the idea to use these pictures for a September 11th post, including using the plane. You are right – the blog is a real labor of love for me and I spend a lot of time putting the posts together.
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just don’t be consumed by it.
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Yes, this is true.
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Hello Linda.
I comment your trip to Norway, Sweden, Finland, Russia and Denmark. Awesome cruise! It is amazing how much you could see in so short time. There was one thing about which I am proud – you tested Sauna!!! There are mainly two types Saunas: heated by electricity or by firewood. When Sauna is warm, the one heated by electricity is dry; this means that heat is dry and does not feel good on the skin. The other heated by firewood is ideal. It’s warm is pleasant and the person begins to sweat, which is the purpose.
We lived on the countryside 19½ years and there we had Sauna – well, everyone has. It was heated by firewood. I have made a post in 2011, how to Sauna bath and showed our Sauna on the countryside. The post has two parts. First one shows a mobile Sauna and the rest our Sauna. Most awesome Saunas are Saunas on the wheels. At end of the post there is link to my mobile Sauna post.
Our Sauna
Now we live in a town and we have Sauna of course. It is general having a Sauna in new apartments.
Thank you telling about your fantastic cruise. Happy Sunday.
Matti
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Hi Matti (sorry I’ve been calling you by the name of your blog – my apologies) … that was an interesting post and I learned a lot. I don’t recall the working of our sauna experience while in Finland – I’m inclined to think it was the dry sauna heat as I don’t recall anyone doing any maintenance of stones and we did go in wearing big towels. I am sure that this form of relaxation should be introduced over here – maybe the people’s choice in the U.S. is a hot tub – they are a lot of maintenance, unlike you saying your wife did the maintenance just just twice a year, there is maintenance to be done, even if you use a cover on them, like changing the water periodically. I know a few people who have a hot tub. Thanks again for the info and the informative link and your well wishes.
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Hello LInda.Hello LInda.
When staring blogs in Internet, I started to use my pseudonym Sartenada. I selected it due to it, that it is quite easy to pronounce in different languages. Also, my email address does not reveal my family name. Finland is small country and it could be possible to cause problems or even to harass in Internet by using my name. That is why I want to be incognito in Internet.
Thank you. It was interesting to change opinions and I hope to do it the future. Tomorrow I’ll publish a new post continuing our vacation report. It contains our short hiking.
All the best,
Matti.
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Well, you can never be too careful on the internet Matti. You were wise to do that until you were able to see how blogging worked. I will tell you that I started blogging in February 2013 and no one in the WordPress “Blogosphere” followed me until November 2017. And that person who followed me I asked him “so how did you find me here – I only have e-mail subscribers, who are some friends and my neighbor?” Well, I had written a post about the Autumn tree colors – the name of his blog had the word “tree” in it and his fictional name for his blog is “Uncle Tree”. He seemed amused by my answer. Things took off here in WordPress after that. I had no concept of other bloggers being here – I was just writing about walking and enjoying the writing. 🙂
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Hello Linda.
I tell this thing. I have never ordered blog of other people. Now you maybe disappointed, but I am very reliable and faithful commentator for those who visit and leaves comment on my posts! People has noticed this and that’s why they leave their comments. Faithful, confident, trustworthy are keywords in my life. I always make a return visit to my commentators!!!
Have a great day!
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That is the way to be Matti. It takes a lot of time to be a good blogger – you write posts, take pictures, comment on what people say and then must reciprocate by reading/commenting on other’s posts. I have often thought I should have waited until I was retired to begin blogging! You have a great day as well (it will be Wednesday for you as it is so late here, even later for you – you’re seven hours ahead of me).
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What a perfect, beautiful place to go and reflect on 9/11. You certainly do meet some interesting and kind people in your travels, Linda. Sorry I am so late responding to this post. Family has been visiting and my father-in-law’s services were yesterday.
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Yes, it was very peaceful Laurie. I was glad Joe suggested it. I do meet interesting people on my walks – mostly nature lovers. While there in the prayer garden, I just intended to take photos of flowers in the garden and walk around – I found it to be tranquil, I was happy I was by myself and then the plane went overhead in the murky gray sky. That clinched it and I knew it was destined to be my 9/11 post. No problem Laurie … I am really behind in Reader right now and it is getting more difficult to be totally caught up and try to get to sleep at a decent time. I need more hours in the day. I hope the services went well for your father-in-law and your family is doing a little better now.
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It’s really true that being in a beautiful place brings peace and calm, so different from the feelings that bubble up when we’re surrounded by anger, coarseness and ugliness. The mystery is why it’s so much easier to find the first than the second.
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Oops, got that backwards – the second is the one that is so much more common.
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Yes JP, there is so much anger and hatred around us today. The news every day is cringe worthy and then there are the natural disasters which leave us reeling. In Detroit today we had still another episode of a freeway shooting – these shootings began three months ago today and there have been about 20 of them thus far. No, it is not the same person(s). The police believe it is different people, some copycats and road rage incidents. There was one today who had road rage and pulled out a gun and started shooting at the other driver. We have a barricaded gunman at least once a week and today there is one holed up in a house in Detroit with a few hostages since 2:00 this morning. I see your second comment and I knew exactly what you meant. This place does have a tranquil feel – a balm that soothes.
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