In 2004 I traveled to the city of Christchurch to visit my Momma and as kind of a "closure" trip to a very bad and confusing relationship. I walked around the city for a month by myself and drank in all the charm, grace and beauty of that wonderful city. I walked along the Avon river and visited the botanical gardens in Hagely park. I viewed the art museum and museum of natural history. I climbed the Christchurch Cathedral tower and looked across the town and thought about what my future would hold and all the possibilities of life. Most of all I thought about the exciting new man I had just met back home and how I was going to marry him someday. On my last day in town I payed my 2$ and climbed back up that tower and carved into the stone, among the names of 100's of strangers, my love for this boy. I love Christchurch. I left New Zealand with a new perspective on what I wanted and how beautiful this life could be.
Three years later I returned with my new husband and we climbed up the Cathedral tower and I showed him my carving. New Zealand and Christchurch in particular remain in our hearts as a very special place where our love for each other swelled and stretched and as a place where we want to raise our family, it is etched in our hearts just as much as our names in the cathedral are.
Two days ago my mother called me to tell me that there had been a horrible earthquake just outside Christchurch and that the Cathedral spire had fallen, many people were dead. Looking at the pictures of all the damage and devastation took my breath away. The city that I love has been utterly decimated. The spire of the Cathedral, with many dead underneath, lays in rubble on the city square. Buildings all around town are just...gone.
Everyone I know is safe but there are so many families who can't say the same. My heart and mind goes out to everyone in Christchurch and the surrounding areas. I sincerely wish all of you safety and love in this terrible terrible time.
