Well said. I was working on lower Manhattan that day. I got on the subway about 8:30 and arrived at the WTC station on the E at about 8:50, stepping out into a different world. For years I rewatched the footage almost just to reassure myself that this actually happened.
Thank you for explaining how a lot of us feel. This is my generation's Pearl harbor, JFK assassination. I'll never forget where I was when we heard the news happening in real time.
I read this remembering how divorced I always feel from the suffering involved in 911, whenever I'm captivated by images of the spectacle. The way that some artists have (sometimes controversially) described it as beautiful made sense to me. It's probably a feature, not a bug, in our brains that makes us find this event so difficult to process in a way that feels *human*.
I kind of envy how you've finally managed to do so.
Thank you for another great article, with such beautiful insight. From what I've lived, it does seem important to acknowledge that God can and does adequately understand all of our suffering, as is it a father's job to do so for his children. Seeing myself as a child of God, as God is my father, is the only way the sins of my brothers and sisters (as well as myself) become in any way bearable.
Thank you for focusing on the right thing - the immense loss of individuals of great value, whatever their station in life, and the survivors' sorrow that cannot be blunted. Too many editorials/whatever are focusing on the 30,000-feet view of all the political and military errors, the line from 9/11 to 1/6, etc. Unless we can recognize the value of every individual - no matter who they are or where they live, we are doomed to repeat our worst mistakes because, in my view, our greatest deficit is our failure to recognize and to respect the humanity of each individual. As John Donne wrote, "Any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind."
I can no longer watch, or really even listen, to any of the news from that day. I just can't watch it anymore. I worked for an organization that finds employment for people with disabilities on federal contracts and we had 160+ people working in the Pentagon, numerous people working in the Towers, and all over NYC. I heard too many terrible stories from people who were there. It was a horrid day and weeks to follow. I lost some friends from college in the Towers.
None of the people from our contracts were lost. Interesting fact: none of the people with disabilities had any problem going back to work in the Pentagon. They wanted to get back to work and help their employer. People with disabilities are some of the toughest and hardest working people you will ever meet. None of the supervisors (without disabilities) could go back into the building; they just couldn't do it and had to transfer to different contracts.
9/11 happens to be two of my niece's birthdays, both of whom live in NY. One was 7 on that date and the other 11. One is just used to the 9/11 stuff being part of her birthday. The other no longer really celebrates her birthday as she has been shamed for "celebrating on 9/11".
thanks for such beautiful reminders of the personal universes all around us, in everyone.
Thank you for this - it beautifully captures how I think a lot of us feel about and relate to that day.
Well said. I was working on lower Manhattan that day. I got on the subway about 8:30 and arrived at the WTC station on the E at about 8:50, stepping out into a different world. For years I rewatched the footage almost just to reassure myself that this actually happened.
Beautiful and moving, thank you.
Thank you for explaining how a lot of us feel. This is my generation's Pearl harbor, JFK assassination. I'll never forget where I was when we heard the news happening in real time.
I read this remembering how divorced I always feel from the suffering involved in 911, whenever I'm captivated by images of the spectacle. The way that some artists have (sometimes controversially) described it as beautiful made sense to me. It's probably a feature, not a bug, in our brains that makes us find this event so difficult to process in a way that feels *human*.
I kind of envy how you've finally managed to do so.
This is beautiful, thank you.
Great piece. Personal, powerful and full of passion. You lived with fear after this but it was short lived thank God
Thank you for another great article, with such beautiful insight. From what I've lived, it does seem important to acknowledge that God can and does adequately understand all of our suffering, as is it a father's job to do so for his children. Seeing myself as a child of God, as God is my father, is the only way the sins of my brothers and sisters (as well as myself) become in any way bearable.
Thank you for focusing on the right thing - the immense loss of individuals of great value, whatever their station in life, and the survivors' sorrow that cannot be blunted. Too many editorials/whatever are focusing on the 30,000-feet view of all the political and military errors, the line from 9/11 to 1/6, etc. Unless we can recognize the value of every individual - no matter who they are or where they live, we are doomed to repeat our worst mistakes because, in my view, our greatest deficit is our failure to recognize and to respect the humanity of each individual. As John Donne wrote, "Any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind."
I can no longer watch, or really even listen, to any of the news from that day. I just can't watch it anymore. I worked for an organization that finds employment for people with disabilities on federal contracts and we had 160+ people working in the Pentagon, numerous people working in the Towers, and all over NYC. I heard too many terrible stories from people who were there. It was a horrid day and weeks to follow. I lost some friends from college in the Towers.
None of the people from our contracts were lost. Interesting fact: none of the people with disabilities had any problem going back to work in the Pentagon. They wanted to get back to work and help their employer. People with disabilities are some of the toughest and hardest working people you will ever meet. None of the supervisors (without disabilities) could go back into the building; they just couldn't do it and had to transfer to different contracts.
9/11 happens to be two of my niece's birthdays, both of whom live in NY. One was 7 on that date and the other 11. One is just used to the 9/11 stuff being part of her birthday. The other no longer really celebrates her birthday as she has been shamed for "celebrating on 9/11".