Today is 9/11. I'm a New Yorker by birth. Not upstate New York, not New York State - a New Yawkah. Born in St. Vincents (recently closed - thank you Board of Directors for mismanaging funds) - lived my first three years in the boro of Manhattan (Yes - it is technically one of the five boros - Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island, the Bronx and Manhattan). Born in 1976, there is a bit of a connection between myself and the Trade, because - the Trades were created in the 70's - and so was I. Prior to the 70's, the skyline was completely different, than when I was older and when I used to watch them from my father's station w as we drove over the Brooklyn Promenade part of the BQE (Brooklyn/Queens Expressway). I fell in love with the Towers. It was a 25 year love affair.
Like any lost love in your life, there is a mourning period. For me - I was in mourning over what happened. The worse part of it was that I had already moved away from the city by then, but I felt such a strong connection. So many of my friends worked near the towers, across the street, in the towers. I lost a friend in the Towers... I know friends of friends who witnessed horrific things, I know other who lost loved ones. But I was disconnected from them - because I was not in the city to mourn with them. I've always regretted that. I was THAT person who tried to find any connection they could to what happened. I was the one who said that if I took a 5:00am train from Smallbany - which I never do - and took the A to the Trade Center - for whatever reason - I would have been there. I just wanted to be a part of it. I know that sounds terrible - but I wanted to be connected to the city I grew up in, and had coursing through my veins. I wanted to have more reason to cry with them and be angry.. But I was miles north- and unable to share anything...
So - I went through the frustration, anger, denial etc... myself.. in order to come to terms with how I felt about this tragedy. You would think that after each sobering year, everyone would be further and further away from those broken feelings and that things would get easier. Unfortunately - it doesn't for me. Nor - as I can see from media coverage, Facebook posts, twitters - it doesn't for others either.
In my own life, I’m experiencing a lot of change. You see things through different and new perspectives. I’m seeing the World Trade Center tragedy through different eyes this year. Pensive, yes, sad, absolutely – but different.
What has happened since the Trade Center. Has anything good come from it? Over 2,000 people – dead. Fighting over a mosque’s location near the center and the threatening of burning the Koran in Florida - war amongst ourselves, war with other people. Do I dare say that the tragedy had accomplished its goal of fracturing this country more than it has to uniting it? So much so that when the memory of the tragedy started to fade in the eyes of the public, the wives of the 9/11 tragedies were accused of doing all they were doing for monetary gain. We still haven’t found Bin Laden. We have lost thousands more in our young service men and women. And are we any better than we were pre 9/11.
My girlfriend had a bumper sticker on her car. It was always very significant to me. It was simply the word ‘COEXIST’ using the various religious symbols.
What has happened since the Trade Center. Has anything good come from it? Over 2,000 people – dead. Fighting over a mosque’s location near the center and the threatening of burning the Koran in Florida - war amongst ourselves, war with other people. Do I dare say that the tragedy had accomplished its goal of fracturing this country more than it has to uniting it? So much so that when the memory of the tragedy started to fade in the eyes of the public, the wives of the 9/11 tragedies were accused of doing all they were doing for monetary gain. We still haven’t found Bin Laden. We have lost thousands more in our young service men and women. And are we any better than we were pre 9/11.
My girlfriend had a bumper sticker on her car. It was always very significant to me. It was simply the word ‘COEXIST’ using the various religious symbols.
It means more to me today than it did before 9/11. In the words of Rodney King – “Can’t we all just get along?”
(see video via)
We need to remember 9/11. We need to remember the lives that were lost – the people we loved, the city that was devastated. But more than that – we have to make sure that they didn’t die in vain. That there was something good and beautiful that came out of their sacrifice for us. That we will be resolved to look into the eyes of terrorism and say – I will continue to live my life, and love those different around me. I may even dare to love you too.
It makes me see things with a bit of perspective. You’re supposed to appreciate the things in your life the most during trying times like these. You’re supposed to remember why you cannot do without your family – close friends. Help this bring us all closer together… let it help us to coexist with those who have differing beliefs. Let the sadness in our heart not be about who was right, or who was wrong, and why.
Let THAT be the way we honor those who have fallen. Let never forgetting spring us into the action of living… and coexisting… happily.
No more war. No more. Within, without. It’s over.
Coexist.
Coexist.
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