9/11 Memorial
3000 Miles Away

I had the privilege of growing up in Chelsea, Vermont, a town famous for its two picturesque commons, courthouse and K-12 school. In 1982, I had Judy Reed for a first grade teacher, and today, 24 years later, Mrs. Reed is teaching my six-year-old niece in the very same classroom where I used to hang my artwork and snowsuit.

I am filled with nostalgia as I remember the crisp autumn mornings, the weight of the icicles hanging from my parents’ roof, and the way the beads of perspiration dripped from our foreheads as we threw hay-bales under the summer sun. I was lucky to grow up in a loving home situated just a stone’s throw away from my affectionate and involved grand-parents.

While the scents of Vermont will forever linger in my memory, my current reality revolves around the eighth largest city in the United States: San Diego, California. I drive in five-lanes of traffic, not a wooded back road, to get to work in a high-rise in downtown San Diego. People ask me where Vermont is located, or "might it be part of Canada?" And, it is Aunt Jamima syrup that adorns tables in restaurants and family homes, not syrup that came from real maple trees.

According to 2005 figures, San Diego has a population of 1,255,240 people. It is the second largest city in California. Located on the state’s most southern tip, I can see the hills of Tijuana, Mexico from my office window. Additionally, San Diego is sandwiched between one of the largest U.S. Marine Corps bases, Camp Pendelton and the largest Naval fleet in the world.

In brief, the sunny, southern California vacation destination, which boasts miles of beautiful beaches and major attractions does not seemingly have any similarities with the 1,250 person county seat, I grew up in.

However, as was underscored during the recent September 11 commemorative celebrations, it is clear that San Diego and Chelsea have one wonderful thing in common: a grateful citizenry.

In San Diego, I could choose to attend one of the dozen memorials and ceremonies that honored the victims and heroes of September 11. In a variety of locations, I could find Christians standing alongside Muslims, military personnel next to anti-war protesters expressing their thoughts and reflections on the five year anniversary.

Like citizens who assembled in San Diego, several dozen Chelsea community members gathered for the village’s commemoration. Like the September 11 events in San Diego, the Chelsea commemoration incorporated the thoughts and reflections from a cross-section of its population.

During his speech, event co-organizer Doug Lyford stated, "Chelsea is proud to have its own selfless fire-fighters, EMTs, police, and National Guard members who come to the aid of fellow citizens in need. I think each of us sleep a little easier at night knowing that our community is so well served by these fine men and women." Lyford concluded, "You are Chelsea’s heroes and on behalf of my own family and this town, I thank you for your service, dedication, and commitment. You make your town proud."

Chelsea and San Diego may be a continent apart, but the past five years have not changed the substance of one cosmopolitan West coast city and a more provincial New England town–and, for that matter, everything that lies between. September 11, 2001, is etched in the memory of all Americans for many reasons. The element of horror and violation now makes us more aware of our vulnerability. But, not uncommon to our history is the courage, honor, and heroism from which we rise above tragedy.

Firefighters, police officers and first responders embody this courageous spirit and give us a concrete example of what it means to serve our respective communities. This is why we praise their efforts and why five years later, despite the loss, we hang our hats on the altruistic fiber that holds our country together.

Shelley Lyford

La Jolla, Cal.

( A 1993 graduate of Chelsea High School, Shelley is currently the manager of research and development at The San Diego Foundation.)