On September 11, 2001, we were living 45 miles north of Manhattan, in a little hamlet less than a mile from the Hudson River. We had just moved from San Diego to New York 2 months earlier. Don was acting in a play in Calgary, Alberta. Like everyone else in the New York area, I was struck by the vivid clear blue sky that morning as I took the dogs outside. I was supposed to go into the city later that day to see the Broadway musical, Urinetown, which was directed by a good friend of mine.
I didn’t know what was beginning to happen until I saw something on my computer about a plane hitting the World Trade Center – at that time the news implied it was a small plane. I quickly turned on the television. With dawning horror, I realized that it was not a small plane and I frantically tried to call Don. Phone service was already erratic in our area but we finally reached each other and proceeded to watch the unfolding events ‘together.’ Don said he’d never felt so far from home.
The planes flew right down the Hudson River, passing by our neighborhood.
As the day went on, I was struck by how eerily quiet it was in our neighborhood. Not a sound. Until I heard a loud drone coming out of the sky, flying right over my head. They were fighter jets. Somehow that sound, those jets, made the whole thing even more real for me.
I didn’t get back to Manhattan for a few weeks. I had to start a teaching job in late September. As I walked through Grand Central Station I saw all the flyers that had been stuck up on walls throughout Manhattan in the days after September 11th. “Lost,” “Please find,” “Missing” – all the faces; young, old, every ethnicity, each of them someone’s loved one. When the flyers were first put up, they were full of hope that that missing loved one would be found. Now they were memorials to all the loss and pain that occurred that horrible day. I, like everyone else around me that day in Grand Central, wept. The magnitude of September 11th was not only in the collapse of the buildings, but in those faces, never to be seen again.
I took these pictures of Ground Zero last March, when I was working in Manhattan.
As we stop to reflect on the tenth anniversary of that horrible day, it is important to remember that we must not ever assume that all people of a certain faith are terrorists and that a few evil men do not represent a whole. If we start thinking that way, we have lost our humanity.
It is also important to remember that this tragedy brought out the best in people. For a while we were one. Now, of course, the government and its citizens have descended again into petty, selfish squabbling. How quickly we forget.
The way to honor those who were lost that day is to love one another, to realize that we are all one, to move beyond the negativity that runs throughout so much of what we see and hear on the news and work toward good. Good for everyone. Compassion for all. Equal rights for all. And I mean all. For if we judge another as ‘less than’, we are, in the end, only judging ourselves.
We cannot go on in the way we’ve been going. We cannot live in fear. We cannot fall prey to the fear mongering that is routinely used as a political tool. We must strive for something better. We owe that to all of those who lost their lives that day.
Hi Claudia,
I was just putting together a post for tomorrow too. Wasn’t it the most beautiful day-who could have imagined what was about to happen. I saw a low flying plane along the Hudson too, but I thought it was air force maneuvers of some sort. I couldn’t get myself to the site for such a long time and when I went I felt sick and so sad. It still feels like yesterday.
Have a peaceful weekend.
-Lynn
Hechos lamentables, sin duda, el horror de ser testigo es doloroso.
Un abrazo
By the way… In the secon picture… Whath is this “white” thing above the right handled tower?
Un abrazo
Amen.
AMEN…………..IT IS STILL SO VERY SAD, AND I FEEL FOR ALL THE PEOPLE WHO LOST THEIR LOVED ONES.
THAT MORNING I NEVER PUT THE TV ON, MY HUSBAND CALLED ME AND SAID “TURN ON THE TV”….I WAS IN SHOCK, I COULDN’T BELIEVE IT, I STARTING CRYING, AT THAT TIME I THOUGHT THIS WAS A HORROR, WHAT COULD POSSIBLE HAPPEN NEXT, 3 DAYS LATER MY DAUGHTER JENNY WAS IN AN AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENT. THAT WILL BE MY NEXT POST. MY OLD SAYING “WHEN IT RAINS IT POURS” SO VERY TRUE. HAVE A NICE DAY. RIZZI
Beautifully said, Caludia.
Well said!
I was thousands of miles away at work in the U.K. We had a T.V in the office and somebody just walked in and turned it on. The whole office was silent for hours. I remember there was a feeling of despondency all around us. When the second plane hit, I went icy cold.
We must never forget, Terrorists must never win. I just pray that this weekend passes without incident.
Claudia you wrote a beautiful post. I was struck at your husband and yourself so far away from each other clinging together watching this horror unfold. I wish you much peace and happiness. Anne
Amen, my good friend! Congress now needs to stop all this petty squabbling and get this bill passed. Maybe, just maybe, this weekend of remembrance will make them realize how childish they’re being when Americans need help, desperately.
Brenda
hey… i stumbled upon your blog so i thought i check it out. and i loved it. pretty neat photos and over all very interesting. i especially like the last post about the twin towers. something to think about.
tc.
Youare absolutely right in all that you say. We must remember that that just because the terrorists were of one nationality it doesn’t mean that everyone in that nationality are bad. It would be like saying that just because I have German blood in me that I loved Hitler. NOT! Please pray for all who are affected by this tradagy( can’t spell today!). This is a terrible time in our history that still plays out today!
Thank you for a beautiful post, Claudia! Not that day but a few days after September 11th, CNN had a recorded phone message from a woman stuck in one of the towers. We could hear her frantic voice as she told her husband what had happened. She said she knew she would not make it out. She told him she loved him and for him to have a wonderful life. I think he had slept in that morning and had not picked up the phone on time. Anyways, he told CNN that he was on his way to New York and that he would find her no matter where she was. She had been on a business trip. To this day, whenever I think of September 11th, I hear her voice and I see his face. And, it hurts as much each time as it did then. CNN showed their apartment and near the phone was a wedding picture of the couple. They were a young couple. I remember that morning, I was walking my son’s dogs and I remember looking up at the sky and thinking what a beautiful blue. I had a premonition of something but I did not know what. I never do when I have premonitions. I just have this uncomfortable feeling. I live in Canada but the sky was beautiful here also on that morning. Not long after I had returned with the dogs, my son ran downstairs yelling that the Trade Center had been hit and he quickly turned on my television and I watched the nightmare as it unfolded. I am in such pain as I write this, Claudia. Even though I did not know this couple personally, somehow, their story touched me to the core of my being and tore my heart out. Perhaps because there was such finality and despair in this young woman’s voice and there was such hope in her husband’s eyes as he vowed he would find her. Life is just so sad at times, Claudia. I’m just so happy that the Lord is a huge part of my life. I don’t know what I would do without him during difficult moments. You know, like those moments of finality when all hope has gone. He’s there to fill the void. He’s there to carry us, to lift us up and to strengthen us. To surround us with His peace!
It was just such a horrendous day.
Great post Claudia. Very well said.~Hugs, Patti
Claudia, thank you for this well written, heartfelt post – beautiful in all its sad memories. All we can do is pray nothing such as this will ever happen again.
Blessings – Mary
I remember many emotions from that day, and those following. It was so difficult for those of us watching it unfold on television. I cannot begin to imagine what it was like for those of you living in such proximity. We live about 10 miles from DFW airport — normally a very, very busy place. The silence that day, in the skies over our neighborhood, was deafening.
Thank you for such a heartfelt and beautiful post.
Thank you for posting a tribute to 9/11 and sharing your photos as well as what that day held for you personally. Watching those huge planes tilt and smash into those towers tore into my very soul as I numbly stood watching the t.v. The rest of the day was a blur as I rushed off to the ER where I was scheduled to work. My first duty assigned to me was to “stock up” the trauma rooms. Living not far from the Atlanta Airport, many thought we would be next. Thankfully we were not. It ended in Shanksville, Pa. but everyone remained on high alert.
Thanks again; just wanted to stop by, read your blog and leave a little comment. (came to your blog via A Vintage Chic)
Perfect. I remember being on the phone with you that day staring at the TV, crying.
Meredith
I once lived in Manhattan at East 86th and Third. I loved the time I spent there and made some very dear friends. The news of the tragedy left me numb that day and it has never quite left me. My Dad had an office in one of the towers. I had been there many times. I also had spent three years living in Bahrain and had many Arab friends. Most of us want peace. It is tragic that there are always a few who do not. My heart goes out to those who lost loved ones that day and may we never forget.
Hugs,
Susan and Bentley
Hi Claudia,
I have been out of touch for a week or two…spending some time with my son before he heads back to college. Also, my husband’s sister passed away about a week l/2 ago. She lost her battle to cancer, sadly. Thank you for your recent visit to my blog. I will be back in the blogging world tomorrow. Will be posting some phots my son took on his Mediterranean cruise. I will have to catch up on your postings and see what I missed. Thanks for the nice posting on 911 as we remember all those who left us on that sad and tragic day. My sister was a flight attendant with American Airlines and I was so thankful she was not on one of those flights that day. Hope all is well with you. Have missed my blogging friends. Love ya, Kim
Claudia, I am with you, Love and understanding are the only way to peace. Negativity only breeds more contempt and will only continue the cycle.
Blessings on every family touched by the events on 9/11. Blessings on our entire nation and may we learn more about love.
Hugs,
Terri
Beautiful..well said.
Somehow reading what everyone else was doing and thinking on that day makes me feel like we are all one. I put my day up too.
You were so close to NYC on the day of the murderous attack on our country. Being in the midwest, we were glued to our TVs and frantically calling family and friends…fearful other planes were going to be crashing all over the place. I can’t imagine how frightening it was to be so close.
I agree, our country did come together that day. Folks forgot politics and hatred of those in charge and actually came together. It was an amazing moment in our history. However, as you said, the government/leaders/citizens are back at it. They forget about the well being of our country and seem to focus on the next election. It just makes me physically ill. And to make matters worse we are so influenced by what we see on TV….even the so called “entertaining” shows are full of political jabs, statements, opinions. I’ve quit watching many of a long time favorite show because they think they need to deliver an opinion about politics.
Anyway, I agree, we can’t live in fear. We just have to realize we are still the object of hatred and there are those out there still wanting to destroy our way of life. We just have to be smart about protecting our country and continue to fight and protect the liberties our forefathers fought for. Thank God we have brave military personnel who go to battle and are ready to go to battle for us each and every day.
Keep safe…..and I hope you find your bowls. I’ll keep my eyes open for you…I’m always “treasure hunting”.
dana