When big things happen, sometimes it’s the little things I remember. Today, exactly six years after the 9/11 attacks, I remember what I thought as I drove to work an hour before 19 fanatical murderers killed 3,000 innocent people. I thought what a nice, sunny day it was. I rolled my eyes as I heard that Michael Jordan was contemplating coming out of retirement again. I was really annoyed that I forgot about my new IPass transponder and paid 40 cents extra at the tollbooth. Of course when I force myself to stop and think of the real events of that day, I can. I can think of people in buildings jumping knowingly to their deaths, passengers on planes making frantic phone calls to say goodbye forever, the immense hatred in the "hearts" of 19 psychopaths and the immense emptiness that 3,000 families must have felt at the loss of a loved one. I know these are the things I should remember. But if I thought of these things only -- and often -- how would I get out of bed in the morning? I suspect my mind is "protecting" me, and I wonder if it’s this type of "protecting" that allows me to have drinks and do brunch while millions are starved and raped in Darfur.
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
What do you remember about 9/11?
When big things happen, sometimes it’s the little things I remember. Today, exactly six years after the 9/11 attacks, I remember what I thought as I drove to work an hour before 19 fanatical murderers killed 3,000 innocent people. I thought what a nice, sunny day it was. I rolled my eyes as I heard that Michael Jordan was contemplating coming out of retirement again. I was really annoyed that I forgot about my new IPass transponder and paid 40 cents extra at the tollbooth. Of course when I force myself to stop and think of the real events of that day, I can. I can think of people in buildings jumping knowingly to their deaths, passengers on planes making frantic phone calls to say goodbye forever, the immense hatred in the "hearts" of 19 psychopaths and the immense emptiness that 3,000 families must have felt at the loss of a loved one. I know these are the things I should remember. But if I thought of these things only -- and often -- how would I get out of bed in the morning? I suspect my mind is "protecting" me, and I wonder if it’s this type of "protecting" that allows me to have drinks and do brunch while millions are starved and raped in Darfur.
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This morning, MSNBC re-broadcast the "Today" show from that day back in 2001. It was really fascinating (if that is the right word) to watch everything unfold as it was happening. Remarkable.
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