Sunday night, I was sitting on the edge of my bed mesmerized by the television. Kind of like I was on September 11, 2001. I was watching the History Channel and the show was called 1:42 Minutes That Changed the World. It was a compilation of raw footage from archives of the people in and around the Financial District. It included video from cell phones, pictures from cameras, and audio from dispatchers. For what seemed like the first time, I sat there for 1 hour and 42 minutes watching the horrible tragedy of that day.
Everyone remembers where they were when they learned of the attacks. Most of us were getting up for the day, on our way to work. Not thinking of any potential terror. It was just an average day in September, but that all changed when we heard the news of the attacks. We had that pit in our stomachs that fear and uncertainty bring, and we felt sadness and compassion.
The weeks and months after 9/11 were strange. It had an oppressive, ominous feeling in the air. The years and events that went by were changed forever and the protective cloud of safety our country felt was lifted and vulnerability became second nature.
Watching this program Sunday night brought it all back. The sight, the shock, the fear, and the sadness of loss. Real loss, real moms, dads, sisters and brothers, aunts and uncles, grandparents, friends, associated, soul mates... Maybe I felt more compassion and connected when I watched TV that night because of my own loss of my mother recently. Maybe I'm 10 years older, a little wiser, and much more involved with community and the bigger picture.
September 11th changed the world in a positive way as well as negative. It created a community. Even though we have certain things in common, such as living in the same country, I have never seen it become so "united" until there was a threat against ALL of us. I know in the past 10 years I have stepped up to the plate and did what I could to help the community.
So I sit here now and think about how people are challenged by good and evil, how a thought can change a community, and how if given the chance to overcome disparity, people will join forces and make things a little better.
Never forget 9/11 and all the souls we lost that are looking out for us from above and forcing us to pay attention.
W
