Don't Forget To Say I Love You

Yesterday was a horrendous day for the City of Minneapolis with the collapse of the I-35W bridge over the Mississippi River. At this point there are 4 reported dead, including a 60-year-old professional women who was the mother of two college daughters and a 29-year-old Hispanic man who left 3 small children surviving in Mexico and an infant in Minnesota. Names and faces are being put to those who died. There are also 20-30 people unaccounted for. The divers are having problems getting to the submerged cars because of strong currents in the river. They are using the locks to try and lower the river level, but they aren't able to get it low enough. On top of that there is bent and twisted metal both above and below the water, and the bridge is still shifting.

When I was first married, I drove that bridge at least twice daily because we lived near the University of Minnesota. We've all driven that road to get to the northern parts of the city. People traveled over that bridge daily to get to downtown Minneapolis to work, to go to sporting events and concerts, to enjoy theatre events and restaurants.

This photo was taken last fall of Aimee and I with Aimee's friends Robin and Debbie. We took a segway tour and are stopped on the Stone Arch Bridge, an historic stone bridge. In the background is the Central Avenue Bridge; we are facing the I-35W bridge that collapsed. The Mississippi River is criss crossed with bridges. Tonight there is one less. I've been on the verge of tears all day. As I drove to work this morning on I-35W the sign over the freeway read "road closed at 94". I read that and my stomach turned one more time as my eyes held back the tears. I've watched disasters on TV in the past and felt sorry for those involved, but to recognize the area where a disaster happens and to know that possibly someone you know could have been on that bridge, was almost more than I wanted to bear.

Were those people able to tell their friends and families that they loved them? Did they leave home without saying I'm sorry? Did they think I'll take care of it tomorrow? We never know when our time will come. So I want to always remember to take the time to tell those close to me that I love them and value them.