Monday the Moscow Metro was bombed many were killed and even more were hurt. I have to say I really am not the type of person who listens to the news. Usually the only news on in my house is the financial news but today when my Mother was over we had the TV on and with a gasp she told me that Moscow was bombed. I heard her when she said it, yes it did registered but to be honest I never like to upset my Mother particularly when it comes to when I travel since most of my traveling has been alone. She knows that I am a good traveler and I make every effort to come home in one piece.
Something just rang a bell however, when I did listen to the storyhours later. The one station seemed more familiar then it should have to me. When I was in Russia I did not venture into the Metro station much but there was one day that I did and ended up spending about 2 1/2 hours milling around on different trains. The first station (Lubyanka) that was bombed was the station closest to my apartment on my first and second trip to Moscow. The second station (Park Kultury) was where I finally figured out where I was when I was lost for the 2 1/2 hours.
If you have never been to Moscow one of the things that I thought was amazing was the trains are really far below ground. I will even go on record to say I was uncomfortable with just how far below ground they were. Perhaps if I had someone to joke with on the long ride down I would have felt better.
Now I am finding my mind drift to the people who helped me while I was in Russia...the girl who gave me my apartment keys who traveled that same train with her newborn in a baby carrier...Alex who was newly married and who held my hand while I cried because I had to leave Anna for so long...his Mother who took me to the 8 Doctor Medical exam while dragging a huge Russian to English dictionary of medical terms...the children and teenagers who find shelter in the train stations.
I will never know if any of these people who were instrumental in me becoming a mother were killed or hurt. I am sad for the people of Russia. Life in Russia is way harder then we in the United States could ever imagine. The Metro is their lifeline. I could not imagine just how uneasy the people of Moscow feel after these bombing. Tonight I will pray that this is not the beginning of a trend and instead an isolated event.
School Days - November 2023
5 months ago
5 comments:
I, too, was struck by this horrendous act. . .we didn't go to those two stations, that I know of, but we did travel some by Metro. However, we were so close to Red Square we did most of our traveling--non-official, of course, by foot. The people of Russia do have it much harder than we do. Having been there, I can totally appreciate what we have and how we take it all for granted. May God be with all of those touch by this terrible act of cowardice! May things like this stop soon.
Thanks for making it just a bit more personal for me. Keeps it in my mind more often so I can pray.
I recently had a similar experience of destruction where I once traveled, so I understand.
Nicely put Joy.
I understand your thoughts exactly. We did not travel on the metro when we were in Russia almost 2 years ago, but we were in NYC 3 weeks before 9/11. My husband went to the top of one of te twin towers while I stayed down at the TKTS booth to get tickets to the show we watned to see that night. I remember people watching after I got the tickets and he was still up-top. People smoking cigarettes, coming back from lunch, etc. I wondered many times what happened to them just 3 weeks later. That feeling- a frozen moment(s) in time- they stick with you.
It definately hit home with me also. I picked up my son in Ekat Russia on March 17th and were in Moscow till March 20th. On Thursday the 18th I ventured out with Jake to go to the Hard Rock Cafe We took a cab there but I decided to take the Metro back being adventuruous. Well me not knowing how difficult it would be with a 2 year old and a carriage so many strangers helped me with the carriage and helped me to make sure I knew where I was going. I do not think I was on those exact trains that were bombed but I have been thinking of all the kind strangers that helped me and Jake and hoped none of them were hurt but I never will really know I guess I should just remember there were so many kind strangers in Moscow and hope they know how much I appreciate their help.
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