TheDayAhead

I suppose I shouldn't let this day pass without some sort of comment about that day. Seven years later, the immediacy of the thing is almost completely drained from me. I jumped a bit the other night, startled to see the towers of light piercing the night sky across the Hudson. It had completely slipped my mind. I sat there for a moment, soaking in the melancholy aroused by such a poignant display. 

When I got to work today, MSNBC was replaying hours of original footage from seven years ago when New York lost two huge pillars of commerce and urban life. Seeing reporters on the street downtown shaking uncontrollably while attempting to spit out what they were witnessing was unnerving enough to take me back for a few minutes. Back to the state of suspended disbelief. Back to the shock, the purity of emotion. Back to the horror, the hope, the heroism. 

While I watched the plasma screen in our cozy corporate cafe, the counter girls fussed over jars of snack food, arranging them for the citizens of a different pillar, moving briskly about their business seven years later. Some have trouble escaping the past - holding on to fears, conspiracies, wars, blame, guilt. But our pillars of steel and concrete are only as strong as the millions of people who give them purpose, propelling them skyward in order to continually reinvent this city of tomorrow. Never Forget thus becomes a type of burden. Those who don't forget the past, somewhat at least, are doomed to stay there. 

It was with some sense of relief that I found myself surprised by the towers of light, appreciating their awesome ascent into the darkness of space with fresh wonder before leading the dog inside to feed him, kiss my boyfriend before bed, and prepare for the day ahead.

Comments

[Sprague D]

Beautifully written. The burden of remembrance will be hard to maintain in our culture. I also forgot about it until September 10th. Frankly, as with any period of grief, I don't want to remember it anymore. I worry for the families of victims whose entire lives are defined by it.

[Michael]

I remember the rain that fell afterwards, bearing with it that awful stench of burning something, something smelling like burnt meat and bakelite. So many things are often forgotten, and this one won't be, but the message we need to learn will be lost as with so many tragic events.

-- Rollerena

[Joram Shauli]

great article and a very good job
i did enjoy it

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[ported barrels]

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