Last weekend (1/8/05) my sister Bridget and husband Chad took my husband, daughter and I to brunch. Bridget had received gift certificates for this restaurant and wanted to try it out. When we arrived, all of the staff, and some visitors appeared to be preoccupied with posing and pictures and were not ready to start hosting or seating anyone. We were pretty much the first people to arrive, so there was not a waiting line.

Therefore, as we waited, I asked a hostess what was going on. She said that “America’s 9-11 Memorial Quilt” was being setup and displayed. Unbeknownst to us, this restaurant was hosting the traveling memorial. We cut through a couple of the giant rooms that the quilt sections were on display. We were awestruck. They were so beautiful. In my heart, I started saying prayers for the victims and families of this tragedy. The sad feelings were welling-up again. By this time, the hostess let us know that it was time to be seated. She took us to a magnificent room with views of the lake. When ready to go to the brunch line, I turned around, and there it was. The section of the quilt dedicated to the lost lives at the Pentagon. My mind immediately kicked into gear and all I could think of was Sheila and her husband and family. Therefore, I went over to the quilt, and I had to find him, Matthew. I knew Matthew indirectly through the Navy Mom’s site. However, I felt as if he was one of ours. I found him. I became overwhelmed with this sense of grief. As if it all happened once again. I tried very hard to hold back my tears, not wanting to cry in front of my family. Then one of the women from the quilting project came up to me and said, “Do you know someone on this quilt?” I said, “Yes, a friend of mine lost her son that day”. She said that I needed to get in front of the quilt and she would take a picture of me, the quilt, and that I could send it off to my friend. So she took the picture, and then she wanted me to point to Matthew. Then had me pose again, pointing to his picture. She took a second picture, and then hugged me and told me to pass along the pictures and her condolences to Matthew’s family. She said that they would mail me the pictures. I did not anticipate that the pictures would be developed very soon since they were traveling with the quilt display.

So as we ate brunch, I kept going back to look at the quilt and Matthew’s picture. A sense of calm came to me. It was as if someone or something was telling me that everything was all right. Therefore, I construed this as a sign to indicate that there was a reason why we went to brunch at that particular restaurant, and on that specific day. Why the hostess seated us in this marvelous room. It was so that I could see the quilt, and Matthew. I also needed to communicate this back to Sheila and family. It was as if an Angel was trying to tell me that Matthew, while he may be gone, is doing fine. Then I remembered this same situation with the loss of my mother. I had this beautiful dream that she came to me and let me know “not to worry”. “Carry on”. She was “fine”. It was only then that I could really begin my healing process. Then I realized that is exactly what this situation was. For some reason, I believe Matthew’s Angel had played a part of this wonderful day. And to let Sheila and family know that he’s all right. The pictures arrived yesterday. After only a five-day wait. This is really a good thing. There are signs all around us about our lost loved-ones. As Bono sings in the song “Walk On”, “You're packing a suitcase for a place none of us has been. A place that has to be believed to be seen”. There was a definite sign that day. We have to believe, even if we are not sure.

One last thing to mention, It felt so good, I felt so proud, and so honored to be able to see the quilt, and to pass it on to Matthew’s family. I salute Matthew, and his family and friends.

To view more of this quilt, and many others that the project is working on, here is the website. www.911memorialquilts.com Incidentally, this quilt, which is in three sections, is titled “The Victim’s Quilt” and it will be dedicated and donated to all families of 9-11. It will be placed on display in New York.

Mary Harvey, Minnesota
Navy Auntie
Proud American