Trinity

The name of this coffee of the month is close to my heart. Trinity represents a pivotal time in my life and the lives of so many others.

This month marks the 25th anniversary of September 11th, 2001. Please take a moment to reflect on that day, and honor those affected by it. Working at the Trade Center as a first responder was an important part of my life and career, but the impacts were felt throughout the world, and my story is just one of many.

I want to honor my brief visits to Trinity Church and its St. Paul's Chapel by sharing my memory of it. I’ll forever be grateful for what it provided during the rescue and recovery effort. For me, beyond the firehouse, Trinity was one of the few places of calm and refuge during that time.

Trinity Church was just a few short blocks from the pile. In the aftermath of 9/11, it was transformed into a rest area for first responders. It was there that we had access to food, water, quiet, and if needed, prayer. It seemed to be one of the few places that the press was not allowed. Beyond Trinity’s hallowed walls, eager cameras and reporters were everywhere. We did our best to ignore those distractions, but this was New York City – everything was on camera – and in our hearts, we knew that the magnitude of the event deserved reporting. Within Trinity, we were grateful for a place of our own.

As you might imagine, this time in my life felt surreal. On one hand, I was young in my career and incredibly proud to finally be an FDNY firefighter. I was living my dream job. On the other, my world had just experienced the greatest loss of life in the history of firefighting. My head spun with it all. I knew the time for digesting those feelings would have to wait. Now, as I look back, I’m glad to have both known and been a part of the FDNY before, during, and after 9/11.

During those long days and nights, we would sometimes walk back to the church for a moment. We were covered in dust, tired, and needing a place to rest. I remember sitting down in the pews of Trinity Church, looking beside me and seeing cards and letters. They were sent to us from all around the world. Men, women, and children. It helped to read some of them even if it was painful at times. Adults were articulate and compassionate in their messages. I remember feeling grateful that someone took the time to share their thoughts and offer some support.

It’s the letters from children that I remember most. You would read the words they wrote and see the pictures they drew and understand their pain better than they did. I kept a few and I still read them from time to time. The letters quickly bring me back to that time.

The kids, many of whom had barely learned to write, had strung together misspelled words of gratitude, sadness, pride, and hope. They also drew detailed pictures. My God, the pictures! They made me laugh, smile, tear up, and sometimes cringe with pain.

The pictures they drew were varied: there were drawings of planes on fire, faces with tears streaming from their eyes, smoke, and black clouds. There were engulfed towers, people falling through the sky, and many other images that should not have come from crayons.

But they also drew rainbows, happy firefighters, smiling police officers, and proud soldiers. There were American flags, hearts, and people holding hands.

Now, 25 years later, I’ve met so many of that generation. I believe what those children lived through fortified who they became and forged steel in their hearts instead of melting it.

In my own family, I talk about 9/11 from time to time with my daughters, who were born many years later. They know what the anniversary means to me and the pride I have in my previous career. They also get to hear the funny and personal stories I share of friends who were lost. They smile and giggle, and together we imagine them still here.

From the World Trade Center to the Pentagon to Shanksville and beyond with our military's response, we will never forget.

I hope that as you sip this coffee,

That you’re with a person you care about… even if in spirit

That the sun is shining

That you are happy and content

That you feel the love I’m sending you through my brief, personal story.

May this coffee bring you Warmth, Strength, and Love. That’s Trinity.

Brian Burik – Founder of Tradition Coffee Roasters