Sunday, September 11, 2011

9/11: Looking back. Looking inward.

"If everyone howled at every injustice, every act of barbarism, every act of unkindness, then we would be taking the first step toward a real humanity."
Nelson DeMille
It's been 10 years since that fateful day, when hatred came home and embedded itself more deeply in our community than we ever felt it would. It's been 10 years since we learned how little value some among us place on human life. It's been 10 years since the rate with which cynicism and suspicion replaced innocence began to accelerate. It's been a difficult 10 years, and there's no end in sight.

I wonder if the world would indeed be a better place if more among us heeded Mr. DeMille's words. I don't know the answer, but I feel the question still needs to be asked.

Your turn: 9/11 + 10. Where were you on that day? What's going through your mind as we look back today?

One more thing: I wrote this piece on the 5th anniversary of 9/11.

13 comments:

Unknown said...

I was in Court waiting for a document that needed to be sent urgently to another province. I heard the news from a lawyer next to me, his wife had phoned him. They turned the TV on at the Judge's office, minutes before the 2nd plane hit the towers. We couldn't believe it.In a way, I still can't I guess.

rashbre said...

mine here:
http://rashbre2.blogspot.com/2011/09/world-trade-center.html

Kavi said...

Its time to move on. there is so much hurt across the world. Its just time to move on..

Kalei's Best Friend said...

I was back at my son's school, but before that I had turned on the tv and saw news of the towers on fire.. I called a neighbor that I woke up and he was in shock... At the school I worked at there was a lot of talk from the students... a lot of mis information they were given by people.. One kid had heard their uncle telling them that California was going to be next... U can imagine the fear this kid had when telling us.. Teachers had to sit down and explain what was going on... One girl had heard her aunt was one of those in the the towers... tho, now I am questioning that info. since the time she heard about it would of been way too early...Me, I was still reeling over my husband's death... 9/11 would of been our 25th anniversary... so that date is definitely a sore point...

ifthethunderdontgetya™³²®© said...

I was in my apartment in Manhattan on 23rd St. (I live in Ohio now.)

Later I would learn that 9 former coworkers lost their lives that day.

Now I'm appalled at the destruction our country's war-mongers used their deaths as an excuse to wreak.
~

MorahMommy said...

I was at work. My parents were visiting us and were going to Toronto for the day. They stopped at my office to tell me of the 1st plane crash. We turned on the radio in the office.

It's a moment I will never forgot. I hugged our children very tightly and watched the coverage all night long. Still wishing for peace.

Max Sartin said...

I was in the first few weeks at my second school, a new experience for me as I had never switched schools before. It was before school had started, all anyone knew was that a plane had flown into the World Trade Center and one of my new co-workers told me in the hall as I headed to the office for something. I already had a feel for the culture of the school and my first thought was "Yeah, right, let's play a prank on the new guy."
As I walked into the faculty room expecting silly string, water balloons or some other joke, I was shocked to get there just in time to see the second plane crash into the building. I remember the whole school going through the motions in shock the whole day and every class starting with "What happened?"

Vanda said...

I was on the train going to work in downtown Vancouver. I heard the news from fellow passengers. At the office my co-workers and I were glued to the TV in the conference room. Unforgettable day.

Jeannette StG said...

Yes it has been a difficult 10 years, but hopefully we have learned from it!

Glennis said...

I wrote my 9/11 memory on my blog.

http://doves2day.blogspot.com

Jamie L said...

For me that day was an exciting beginning for my daughter.Her first day of school. I had tears welling up in my eyes as I left.She rushed off with her new friends in her new world,excited by it's endless possibilities. I got in my car and turned on my radio, and instantly I knew that the world she was to inherit was to be changed forever.

Jamie L said...

For me that day was an exciting beginning for my daughter.Her first day of school. I had tears welling up in my eyes as I left.She rushed off with her new friends in her new world,excited by it's endless possibilities. I got in my car and turned on my radio, and instantly I knew that the world she was to inherit was to be changed forever.

Pamela said...

My plans to fly out of Baltimore/Washington Intl Airport had to be changed from 9/11 to 9/10 -- because the AirForce changed my Son-in-laws work schedule. So with the cost of changing tickets, getting my luggage separated, getting bumped, and being totally rattled, I arrived in Portland OR just in the very wee hours of 9/11. Drove to my daughter's house and went to bed. Woke up thankful for the cost of changing tickets, getting my luggage separated, getting bumped and being totally rattled. And not stuck somewhere in the middle of the country.