On the eve of September 11

In My Humble Opinion
1

Today I have been feeling rather sad, from the moment I woke. It wasn’t until I read today’s date on my morning newspaper that I truly realized why. I have been emailing (it’s my day off) many friends and family members to tell them how much I cherish them. I can’t think of another way to honor what tomorrow represents, and will represent, for all of us for all our lives.

I want to wish each of you a day not only of regret, remembrance and sorrow, but also a day to be with those people who are important to you – whether they are with you in person or in the spirit.

If you have found a way to honor September 11, will you let us know?

2

I’m spending at least part of my day forcing myself to accept the fact that there are some auto repairs I am just not qualified to do myself, and taking the “Big Truck” to the shop for expensive repairs. :frowning:

The “Double Whammy”. Paying to recognize my own inadequecy.

How is Rap like Porn? Both are better with the sound turned off.

3

I’m going to remember, and watch the CBS documentary that I taped last year.

Then I’m going to laugh, and eat chocolate, and realize that life does go on, and regardless of our differences, I think America is the greatest place on earth.

4

Please don’t bother with any more posts to this thread. I realize my remembrance of the lives lost is very amusing to some of you

5

I think you miss the point of some.

Each of us is different. The impact of 9/11 upon each of us is also different. How each of us remember 9/11, or chooses not to remember, is of our own as we each see fit. While you may not like it, the few posts in this thread are valid for those who expressed their own thoughts.

I remember a Memorial Day a few years back. I closed the gates for the day (it was my shift to close them).

I was alone. Alone with more than 15,000+ headstones and 15,000+ American Flags fluttering in that warm and humid New Orleans breeze. We had honored those war dead (War of 1812 through Vietnam) in a New Orleans-style tradition; a brass band, umbrellas, parade down the sole road through the narrow cemetery, followed by the speeches from those important (and those who think they were important). We ended the ceremony with a 21-gun salute and the playing of Taps.

Now here I was, hours later and all alone with my thoughts, and those 15,000+ headstones and 15,000+ American Flags fluttering. I knew the history behind many of those stones, but not the individuals named on each of them.

I don’t have to get into a discussion of war and politics here. It’s not important. What is important is to honor and remember. We did it that day with a local tradition of smiles, laughter, dancing and good times (Yes, during that parade down that sole road in the narrow cemetery.), along with a larger tradition of pomp, reflection and salutes.

We honored and remembered all those other days, too, when the school kids came to visit. Many were quiet, scared, and probably never heard my stories as we walked down that sole road in the narrow cemetery.

Still others had the time of their lives as walked and ran among the gaves, making brass rubbings from those headstones, using crayons and butcher’s paper. The meaning of those headstones was probably more deeply felt by those kids who took home not just the stories of those graves, but a rubbing of a headstone - a name of a soldier who died, probably to be forgotten forever. I made sure they were not.

Tomorrow I will go to work, participate in our ceremony and and lowering of the flag to half-staff. Then I will do my job and forget all of it.

Until I step outside for lunch. Then I will catch a breeze on my face, watch the tall trees in the distance sway in that breeze and enjoy the late summer sun, eating my bag lunch while the squirrels beg for tidbits from my hand. At that point I will remember the 3,000 no longer here. I will also remember walking down that sole road in a narrow cemetery, with 15,000+ headstones and 15,000+ American Flags fluttering in that warm and humid New Orleans breeze 1,800 miles and so many years away.

I will remember and honor by living my life, be it with quiet reflection, doing my job, sharing a laugh with a friend.

Life goes on. And life goes on better when one lives it as they see fit. Just as those 3,000 would be doing tomorrow had those attacks never occurred.

6

Some nicely done 9/11 websites:

http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=210345

7

I would take the day off had I lost a friend or family member. Instead I will work and not back down.

8

My way of honouring September 11? Simply posting here and reminding my American friends that they are not alone, that the memory of that terrible day has not faded from the minds of those in the rest of the free world, and that you have friends who are thinking of you today.

9

I was working from home on 9/11/2001, and I found out about the attacks just after I dropped my kids off at school. Though my schedule (and job) has changed somewhat, by an odd coincidence today I am working from home again. It’s a strange feeling… today, it doesn’t seem to be two years since it happened.

After 9/11/2001, I found myself wanting to do something, but I lacked the resources to do much that I felt was “meaningful.” My wife, a teacher, had all of her students write letters to the rescue workers in New York, which were sent. I got to read most of them, and they brought tears to my eyes, and inspired me. If these kids can do something like that, then I should be able to as well.

Those letters were the germ of the idea for “Heroes”, a short Flash presentation which I made. I wanted to express the admiration I felt in those who gave so much of themselves that day – who give so much of themselves every day, though we are rarely given such a reason to sit up and take notice of it. It’s my way of trying to find what’s good in a terrible event… that’s what I wanted, anyway. You can turn on any TV today and find images of death and destruction, I’m sure. I preferred, then as now, to focus on what I found hopeful and inspirational, and to show others that those things were there too, that day.

I still get the occasional e-mail from someone who has found this and watched it. A few days ago, a teacher e-mailed me to ask if she could use some of my words from the Flash presentation in a poster she was making for today – I guess it’s come full-circle, in a way.

Today, I’ll send the link out to a few more people who haven’t seen it, perhaps, as I did last year. As a reminder that even in the worst situations, there are good things too. Admirable things. Good people.

10

Love one another more, hug your loved ones a little more. Turn the other cheek and don’t sweat the small stuff.

11

I read this thread again.

Please, don’t ever forget. We honor those who died best by making sure this never happens again.

12

Today at school, the headmaster asked for a moment of silent thought about how 9/11 affected our lives.

The pressure made my mind go blank. All I got into my head was the fact that I’d nearly taken a teaching job that year in a suburb of NYC, but declined. Many students lost a parent (or both) less than two weeks into the school year. Nothing else came to mind.

I opened my eyes when I heard two loud sobs. Two of my current students just lost it. Most of the teachers welled up at that moment too.

13

Here’s an interesting column from one of my favorite writers, James Lileks.

14

Here was my reaction, written when the towers were hit but still standing. I was on Usenet because the Net was pretty much clogged up in the NYC area and I’d first read about the attacks on a theatre website run by my friend James, who worked in Soho.

History, raw and bleeding.

15

Oh yeah, I’m Carolyn.