after a day of remembering and honoring 

those who were

lost, helped, survived, changed forever

a calming evening walk in the park

brought soft pastel skies

trees full of life

if you look very closely

you’ll see

a survival flight helicopter

where every minute matters

on it’s way

to rescue

move someone

 pick up or deliver something

that will save a life

 when i hear one or see one 

in the sky above me

i know they literally

hold lives in their hands

 the weight of this 

heavy and hopeful.

—

‘part of my life is saving life.’

-dith pran

 

*Dith Pran (1942-2008) was a Cambodian-American photojournalist for the New York Times. He was a refugee and survivor of the Cambodian genocide and one of the subjects of the Academy Award – winning film ‘The Killing Fields,’ in which he was portrayed by Haing S. Ngor, a fellow survivor.

*Frederick Buechner (1926-2022) was an American writer and theologian. The author of thirty-nine published books, he has been and continues to be an important source of inspiration and learning for many readers, writers, preachers, and theologians. His work encompasses multiple genres, including fiction, autobiography, essays, sermons, and other nonfiction. Buechner’s books have been translated into twenty-seven languages for publication around the world.

 

 

 

 

—

beckley park, ann arbor, michigan, usa – late summer 2026