The Silent "I"

Oklahoma City Memorial: Remembering a Tragedy

The entrance to the Oklahoma City Memorial is inscribed with these words:

We come here to remember those who were killed, those who survived, and those whose lives changed forever. May all who leave here know the impact of violence. May this memorial offer comfort, strength, peace, hope and serenity.

We came here at night, and when we arrived, there were no other people, just our small family of three, come to pay our respects.  We didn't expect to find comfort and wisdom. We didn't expect to find solace for our own grief. We didn't expect it, but it was there.

The story of the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995 is embedded in the American psyche, a jarring reminder that violence and tragedy can visit us at any moment, in any circumstance. On that fateful morning, the men, women and children in the Murrah Federal Building went about their daily lives, going to work and school, just living.  They had no idea that a group of crazies would decided for them that this was their day to be visited by violence, changing not only their lives, but ours as well.

Frank and I were in Japan when this happened.  We turned on CNN international and were horrified by the images of destruction we saw in America's heartland.  I think as Americans, we had become immune to seeing images of devastation around the world, whether from terrorists bombs or natural disasters.  This image made us pause. A typical office building in a typical city on our home turf, not some faraway place. I spent the better part of the day glued to the television in our hotel room, waiting for more news.  In Japan, the reports were sparse and showed the same images over and over, unlike in the US, where the news coverage was relentless (or so I'm told).

We walked around the reflecting pool, with the moonlight reflecting on the water, and stopped to note the names of survivors inscribed on a granite wall.  Alongside the reflecting pool are 168 empty chairs, representing the people who died that died that day, each adorned with a wreath for Christmas.  It is a beautiful, thoughtful memorial.  I'm glad we made it there.

Hotel Review: Cambria Suites

Ever hear of Cambria Suites Hotels?  No? Neither had I until a representative from their PR company contacted me a few months ago to offer me a free visit to one of about a dozen locations nationwide.  I looked up the hotels, and although they looked fabulous, there were none close enough to drive to in California so I passed.  When we decided to drive across the country from California to Ohio, I contacted them again.  They generously offered us a free night in their Oklahoma City property, one of the stops on our Christmas Roadtrip.

The Oklahoma City Cambria Suites is conveniently located right off I-40, near the Oklahoma City airport.  It's on a row of hotels, motels, and restaurants, and is set back from the main drag, so it was easy to miss it.  We were a little lost in the dark, but found it without much problem.

On entering the hotel, I was immediately wowed by the lobby decor, which had a tasteful, modern appeal, like many posh urban boutique hotels. It reminded me of the W Hotels, but without the annoying hipsters in the lobby.  I checked the prices  online for this particular Cambria Suites, and rooms start at around $89, which makes it both luxurious and affordable.

The desk clerk told us that there are meeting facilities in the hotel, and showed us the boardroom conference room, and a meeting room large enough to hold about fifty people.  Just off the lobby area is a small indoor pool and jacuzzi, and a well-equipped fitness center that is open 24-hours.