We went to New York Saturday morning and spent the night. We did all the touristy stuff; Times Square, 5th Avenue, St. Pat's. The highlight of the day was seeing Avenue Q. That was fun! It was a great trip and we had a great time, but none of it was really new for me. Not that familiar is a bad thing, but I was planning on using parts of the trip for 52 Projects.
What I really wanted to do was go out for a run on Sunday morning. I've always wanted to run down the middle of Broadway and run in Central Park. I was going to run through Times Square, run up 7th Ave to Central Park, and take a loop around the park. But my ankle is sore from running Friday and walking a lot on Saturday and as much as I want to fulfill a fantasy, my long term healing is more important. So, no NYC run for 52 Projects. This time. It WILL happen!
The other part of my plan still came to be. Jane and I drove down to lower Manhattan to visit the site of the World Trade Center. Ground Zero. I have never visited and have always wanted to. Now I have.
I will never forget that Tuesday in September. I was to fly out to San Diego that afternoon and had gone in to the office to get a few things done. Of course, I never made my flight. We crowded around TV's and radios. We surfed the web for news. We called loved ones. We went home to be with family. We prayed. We wept.
I became very angry in the days after the attack. I wanted someone to blame. I wanted someone upon who we could seek revenge. I was confused and twisted inside. As twisted as the steel that melted that day. I wanted to forgive and hold thoughts of peace and love but I was livid. I wanted to fight. I even called the National Guard to volunteer but I was too old. Eventually I calmed down. The anger subsided and the grief stung less each day.
This morning I started to feel it again. As we parked the car and walked towards the site my heart began racing and I felt my throat tighten. Tears came to my eyes. The memories of the horrible day come flooding back into my mind. Yes, we will never forget.
To honor those who lost their lives on that day and in subsequent days as a direct result of the attacks, and to never minimize the huge impact that event had on our country, I will always refer to that day as September Eleventh. I do not say nine one one. I do not say nine eleven. Do we call Independence Day seven four? Do we call Pearl Harbor day twelve seven? Why shorten, or abbreviate, or minimize in any way the day we experienced the most horrific attack on our own soil?
In Memory of September Eleventh Two Thousand and One
6 comments:
It's insane how long this thing is taking to get rebuilt. You'd think we'd be able to get something built quicker than we got a man to the moon, but no. That was a somber way to spend your anniversary, but you guys sound so together and like such a great match, I'm sure it was a bonding experience and that you were grateful that you could share the pain with someone you love.
What an emotional trip that must have been. I too remember feeling angry about it. But it also reminds me of the resolve of the American people to push forward, to not let the bullies keep us in fear.
Happy Anniversary!
Even in the UK that was a very emotional day, it was also a day when lots of people took stock of what was important in their own lives, after seeing the news broadcasts of all the personal losses of ordinary people, and hearing recordings of heartbreaking last calls home to loved ones.
That was the day I took stock of where my own life was headed in an abusive marriage,would I have given my husband a thought if I knew I was going to die? - when I came up with the people I would want to tell I loved them he didn't figure.Within that week I left him and changed my life forever - and for the better :) so I always think of September the Eleventh as a defining moment in my life.
It was a great weekend. Thank you so much for making our first wedding anniversary so memorable and so special. I love you.
I will never, ever forget either. I was in San Diego, and went to work. My client was a man who had two collegues on the Boston flight. My husband client for the upcoming week was a company housed in the WTC who lost 75% of their staff that day. Though I knew no one personally, it touched us directly through those ours lives intersected with.
Congratulations on your anniversary. A meaningful and emotional weekend in both the anniversary and your visit of ground zero.
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