Posts from — December 2009

The New Year is almost here and I’m full of exciting Healing Field ideas for 2010 and even beyond.

As many of you know, Healing Field started out as as a way to commemorate the lives of those lost to us on September 11, 2001.  Since the very first Healing Field display in 2002, hundreds of communities across America have hosted a Healing Field or Fields of Honor to raise money and awareness for a growing array of causes.

Healing Field, Pentagon Memorial, 9/11/2008. Photo by "The U.S. Army."

These special displays of fields of American flags have helped to honor the sacrifice of our service men and women, raise awareness for the tragedy of child abuse or domestic violence, honor veterans past and present, raise awareness for heart disease and cancer and more.

Last year the Healing Field team and I were working hard to put together numerous Healing Fields across our nation.  One special Healing Field idea that I wanted to execute was a field that would benefit the poor and the hungry in Salt Lake County.  To accomplish this event we started working with Utah Road Home, another non-profit organization that assists our homeless neighbors in Salt Lake County, Utah.

This particular Healing Field idea includes a “one-stop donation hub.”  A location, somewhere in downtown Salt Lake City, where fellow citizens would be able to drop off their donations such as: clothing, food, hygiene products and toys.  Also, the idea included the availability of numerous United States flags for the purpose of sponsorship.  The proceeds and donations, as a result of this event, would have gone to the Road Home as well as the Utah Food Bank, another non-profit organization that is dedicated to addressing to unmet needs of our low-income neighbors in Utah.

Also, I imagined the location being a great “visual landmark” in the downtown area of Salt Lake City, distracting and attracting the crowds of people shopping around for Christmas gifts for their friends and families.

The idea of seeing Salt Lake City and other cities and states across our nation taking on an event like the one described above is another vision that is “breath taking” to me.  Fortunately, in this “season of giving,” the generosity of many people is not just experienced in the “retail world,” it is also a very much experienced in the “charitable world.”

Despite my disappointment that this particular field fell through for this year, I’m committed to move forward in putting up a Healing Field, specifically benefiting our poor and hungry neighbors, next year or in those years following 2010.

I find determination in the words, pronounced by one of our Presidents, many years ago: “Some men see things as they are and say why. I dream things that never were and say why not.“  Inspirational, to say the very least.

On Thursday, September 10, 2009, a Healing Field display was put up for Friday, September 11, in Sandy, Utah.  This special display of countless American flags was put up to commemorate the lives of those lost to us as a result of the tragic events that happened 8 years earlier on Tuesday, September 11, 2001.

Since the first Healing Field display in 2002, hundreds of communities across our nation have hosted a Healing Field or Fields of Honor to raise money and awareness for a growing array of causes.

These special displays of fields of American flags have helped to honor the sacrifice of our service men and women, raise awareness for the tragedy of child abuse or domestic violence, honor veterans past and present, raise awareness for heart disease and cancer and more.

Click on the image below to experience a “spherical” 720° panorama of that Healing Field on Friday, September 11, in Sandy, Utah.

Throughout the Salt Lake Valley the commercial activity leading up to Christmas is starting to slow down.  All over the place, families and friends are preparing to celebrate Christmas with loved ones and to experience what to many is the most treasured holiday of the year.

At the same time, and in completely different part of the world, men and women who wish they were home with us right now are preparing to experience Christmas in an entirely different way.

Those who serve on behalf of our nation cherish Christmas as much we do.  It’s because of their effort that we enjoy the safety and freedom we do everyday.  They’ll be spending their holiday season in a place far away, most likely hostile and possibly somewhat lonely.

As we  gather with our families later this afternoon or early tonight, Americans in uniform worry about their safety as they patrol the various villages in Iraq.  As we gather with our families tomorrow, on Christmas morning, numerous Americans patrolling on foot and in armored vehicles in Afghanistan, will be ready to engage hostilities if necessary.

We know that the military does whatever they can, to ensure that our serving men and women enjoy at least some of the spirit of Christmas.  Today and tomorrow, many will open packages sent from home, many will partake of special meals and many will attend religious services.

May God watch over and protect these dedicated men and women, and their families.

Merry Christmas to our troops!

And, dear reader, Merry Christmas to you.