A Day to Remember
Yesterday as I read all the 9/11-related articles in the local newspaper, all I kept thinking to myself was "why do we have to do this every year?" I figured I'd make an obligatory 9/11 "where was I when" post today. My sensitive side pointed out that the word "obligatory" could be construed as highly disrespectful, so I chose not to mention it when I eventually sat down today to reflect (although I mention it here to highlight the point I'll be making in the next few sentences.)
Then last night as I turned off the Batman movie that was playing on DVD (the kids were on their way to bed to hear G- read them a story), I decided to flip the channel to CBS. They were showing a documentary by a couple of French brothers (you know how I love the French). I figured that next to the other programs showing (including the ABC mockudrama Say-say kept asking about all day after seeing it in an ad in the newspaper, only he kept calling it "Past 97" or "Past Tonight at 7", etc.), this would be the most worth my attention. I sat on the coffee table to flip the channel. I stayed there for the next hour and a half.
It all came flooding back. M- coming into work that morning late because of something she had heard on the radio about a plane hitting the World Trade Center. I had to ask what the World Trade Center was, having never needed to know that before. Rushing back to the break room to see the whole thing play out on ABC. Peter Jennings saying it looked like a piece had fallen off one of the towers even though any fool could see the thing had completely imploded. Danielle crying out "oh God, all those people!" and bursting into tears, and me thinking she was being dramatic. Realizing that my twin was in New Jersey and not hearing from her until 3 o'clock (she, of course, had no idea what was going on until then because she hadn't turned on the TV.) Going downstairs to get a chart and feeling like the ceiling was about to come down on top of me. Watching the sky on the way home from work, wondering if the BB&T tower in downtown Raleigh would be next. Leaving ABC on 24/7 to watch Peter Jennings wonder angrily where the president was. Arguing with G- about going after the people who had done this (G- had realized quickly what I hadn't; that the word "Muslim" was about to become a dirty word). Two days later, going in for my first OB appointment (I was 9 weeks pregnant when this happened) and hearing the nurse discussing a radio station that was playing the Lord's Prayer every morning at 6. Several months later, watching "Hope Floats" and having to turn away at the dance scene because I just knew the ceiling was going to come down on the dancers. Wondering if I what I was feeling was shock.
A co-worker asked today why they had to keep showing 9/11 material over and over again. Another co-worker responded that it was to keep us mad so we'd be okay with the war going on. I told her I disagreed. I think I finally got it last night. This really happened. There are people still feeling the effects of what happened that day. To watch those firefighters lose their friends and brothers, to watch the filmmakers hug and cry when they were reunited, it seems to me 9/11 isn't about politics or who screwed up. Today, just today, on the anniversary, we need to remember that today is about the people who died and the people who lived. Leave everything else for tomorrow. Tomorrow, we can remember that some very angry people changed the entire way we all view our world and that nothing will ever be the same. But today, we need to reach out to the survivors, not with token ceremonies, but with support to help them on their way.
A lot of people were changed that day. Let's make sure it wasn't a change for the worse.
Then last night as I turned off the Batman movie that was playing on DVD (the kids were on their way to bed to hear G- read them a story), I decided to flip the channel to CBS. They were showing a documentary by a couple of French brothers (you know how I love the French). I figured that next to the other programs showing (including the ABC mockudrama Say-say kept asking about all day after seeing it in an ad in the newspaper, only he kept calling it "Past 97" or "Past Tonight at 7", etc.), this would be the most worth my attention. I sat on the coffee table to flip the channel. I stayed there for the next hour and a half.
It all came flooding back. M- coming into work that morning late because of something she had heard on the radio about a plane hitting the World Trade Center. I had to ask what the World Trade Center was, having never needed to know that before. Rushing back to the break room to see the whole thing play out on ABC. Peter Jennings saying it looked like a piece had fallen off one of the towers even though any fool could see the thing had completely imploded. Danielle crying out "oh God, all those people!" and bursting into tears, and me thinking she was being dramatic. Realizing that my twin was in New Jersey and not hearing from her until 3 o'clock (she, of course, had no idea what was going on until then because she hadn't turned on the TV.) Going downstairs to get a chart and feeling like the ceiling was about to come down on top of me. Watching the sky on the way home from work, wondering if the BB&T tower in downtown Raleigh would be next. Leaving ABC on 24/7 to watch Peter Jennings wonder angrily where the president was. Arguing with G- about going after the people who had done this (G- had realized quickly what I hadn't; that the word "Muslim" was about to become a dirty word). Two days later, going in for my first OB appointment (I was 9 weeks pregnant when this happened) and hearing the nurse discussing a radio station that was playing the Lord's Prayer every morning at 6. Several months later, watching "Hope Floats" and having to turn away at the dance scene because I just knew the ceiling was going to come down on the dancers. Wondering if I what I was feeling was shock.
A co-worker asked today why they had to keep showing 9/11 material over and over again. Another co-worker responded that it was to keep us mad so we'd be okay with the war going on. I told her I disagreed. I think I finally got it last night. This really happened. There are people still feeling the effects of what happened that day. To watch those firefighters lose their friends and brothers, to watch the filmmakers hug and cry when they were reunited, it seems to me 9/11 isn't about politics or who screwed up. Today, just today, on the anniversary, we need to remember that today is about the people who died and the people who lived. Leave everything else for tomorrow. Tomorrow, we can remember that some very angry people changed the entire way we all view our world and that nothing will ever be the same. But today, we need to reach out to the survivors, not with token ceremonies, but with support to help them on their way.
A lot of people were changed that day. Let's make sure it wasn't a change for the worse.
posted by Suzy Q @ 12:42 PM
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