9/11 anniversary

Goodbye, summer.

Yesterday was the 10^th anniversary of the terrorist attack on the USA. These last two weeks or more I’ve been seeing news articles and posts on television, the internet (http://www.cbc.ca/) and even in the uplifting stories, there is a lot of sadness. Here is a story about Gander, NL where many many planes landed on 9/11/01 and hundreds of people were cared for. Go Gander! That news story has interesting links as well.

Last night JB and I were watching some documentary on HBO. It was probably one of the most moving things I’ve seen in the last 10 years. Maybe it was "Beyond 9/11"? There were so many shows on yesterday. Why that one, I have no idea. But this is also the girl who got choked up watching the Mr. Dressup art inspiration commercial for CBC’s 75^th anniversary.  I’m almost ashamed to admit that it has taken ten years for that sadness or understanding to hit really me.  I remember that day, living in St. John’s going to MUN.  I think the prior summer 2001 was one of my favorites.  I woke up early and had breakfast, and my roommate(s?) were watching it on the living room television.  I watched too, not really understanding wtf was going on. But I had some bullshit first year course elective and went to class for 11a. 845a in NYC was 1015a in NL so that makes sense. I’m sure I watched more coverage that day, but I can’t remember details.

The show last night didn’t appear to be anything that I hadn’t seen before. People running in the streets, buildings falling down, firemen, dust, crying. We’ve seen it so often, it’s so familiar.  This documentry had interviewed the mayor at the time Rudy Giuliani and his staff. One staff person’s husband was a fire chief. She said she knew he was dead, and that she felt anger sometimes that he chose death over her. It was the saddest thing; but she loved him, and knew he was just doing his job, and that makes him a good person. I can’t find any link or extra info.  I hope she’s ok.

Last night I think what got me the most, was the fear that people must have been experiencing. It’s bad enough when something terrible happens; you hear about people hitting moose on the highway and hope it isn’t anyone you know, but it’s still someone’s sadness. Two planes crashed into the buildings where thousands of people worked. The loss of life is overwhelming to think about. What I feel worse about is the feeling of being under attack. I cannot imagine walking anywhere, minding my business getting a tea and a bagel, and not one, but two planes crash out of the sky. It makes me feel terrible for the state of things in other parts of the world, and for those people that day. Living in war and under attack must be frightening; it must ruin your life.

So that’s my 9/11 two cents.

It feels sometimes that fairness and genuine goodness in the world are nonexistant.

-AMB