Friday, September 11, 2009

9/11 Remembered. Always and Forever.

I can't get through this day without commenting on the tragedy of 9/11. I remember exactly where I was--at home running late for work, as usual. The television was on as background noise, but when I heard the frantic reporters' voices, I knew something was terribly wrong. I went into the living room and watched, stunned. I called the bank to make sure everyone knew and was tuning it. They were. When I finally made it to work, everyone was gathered around a television in the investment office. Not much was said as we watched the horrific tragedy unfold. We were all in shock. My heart goes out to the 9/11 victims' families. I hope they've found a way to move on and find some sense of normalcy. May the 9/11 victims rest in peace. You were taken much too soon. We will always honor and remember you and will never, ever forget what happened that day. I've always had an affinity for New York. My daughter used to dance there and lived in New York after college. In the 90's, she and I ate at the Top of the World restaurant in one of the towers with several other dancers and moms. That was also the day the designer Versace was killed. One of the dancers wore one of his creations to dinner. Since 9/11, I've been to Ground Zero twice. It was sobering and chilling. I remember all the comforting banners and quilts strung across the fence expressing sympathy and love from every state and other countries. The fence was covered with suffed animals, pictures of the victims, letters from loved ones, and mementos like a fireman's hat or boots. A fireman who didn't make it, obviously. The nearby blackened buildings made me cringe. The entire area was heart-wrenching to say the least. A year or so afterward, I remember flying into New York City at night, and two tall lights shone above the city. They were the exact dimension of the two towers. It was eerie yet comforting. Rest in peace, 9/11 victims. You will never be forgotten. And I hope the terrorists rot in hell. Do you remember where you were that fateful day?

7 comments:

  1. I was at my home office on 9/11/01 when my mother called and told me to turn on the TV. I remember watching Peter Jennings when the first tower went down. I was watching the video over his shoulder and wondering why I suddenly couldn't see the burning building, just clouds of smoke. Jennings realized it a second later, that the building simply wasn't there anymore.

    In the Midwest, it was a bright, beautiful day. When I went outside, I looked up and saw a wide, white circle in the sky. It confused me until I remembered that all the planes had been grounded. A plane had taken off, leaving exhaust in its wake, and then made a circle, coming back in to land. That circle hung in the sky most of that day, a function of atmosphere, a reminder of what had been lost--many lives as well as the luxury of false security we had enjoyed.

    Beth, I too had dinner at Windows on the World--November 1991, for my husband's birthday, when we were newlyweds living in the city. I lived there for 6 years but haven't been back since 1994. I miss it, and I mourn with my fellow New Yorkers.

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  2. Thanks for your comments, Claire. I had forgotten about the planes being grounded. Such a ghastly, eerie day. I'm from the Midwest, too, but absolutely love New York.

    I also want to recognize and thank all the heroes from that day--the firefighters, police officers, healthcare workers, clergy, military, Mayor Giuliani, volunteers, fellow WTC employees who helped others, and many, many others.

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  3. I was at home. Frantically tried to call my husband who was not home. We both were glued to the television whenever possible. Such a terrible tragedy and so unneeded. President Bush promised our borders were more safe. I believe him. At least we haven't had another mass murder like 9/11.

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  4. I was at work, although I hadn't been there long. I worked in the mailroom at that time, and I had just delivered mail to a doctor's office that had television. We were all looking up, trying to figure out what had happened. Then we heard another plane had hit the towers. Then we knew.

    I remember President Bush's genuine tears as he stood on that mound with the firefighter. Still brings tears to my eyes. So senseless.

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  5. Shirley and Pat, isn't it amazing that everyone remembers exactly where they were? We'll never forget.

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  6. I was working at Elite Promotions. I don't remember how we found out. But I remember watching the tower go down on the internet and then the second tower getting hit. My son was living in New Jersey, just 16 miles from the twin towers. He was working at Fort Monmouth and they were at Def Com 5...high alert. I couldn't get ahold of him for some time. He said the towers were directly across the bay from where he was working and he could smell the awful burning smell for weeks afterward.

    He also said that it really changed everybody there. People (everyone) flew American flags on their houses and business for a good year after that. Not like around here...he said it was unbelieveable how many flags were flying. It was a traumatic day for so many people.

    Joy Robertson, from color 10 told me she went down to the site and volunteered through the undertaker's association that her husband belongs to. She was able to see much of the devastation first hand. My son didn't go down to look at the site for some time afterward.

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  7. Interesting, Ruth. My husband is from New Jersey and it had a devastating affect on him--still does. I'm sure the same goes for your son. I remember how patriotic everyone was. That was the upside. Amazing how everyone remembers exactly where they were on that shocking, horrible day.

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