I grew up in New York state. About an hour outside Manhattan. It’s a beautiful town that is home to many of NYC’s police and firemen. I spent many days driving over Skyline Drive paying close attention so I’d be sure to catch a glimpse of the NYC skyline. Of the World Trade Centers.
They were always just so impressive to see. Rising up out of nowhere. I remember being in New York one day specifically because we visited them. We walked underground between the two and, as a young girl, I was so amazed that I was underground (!) between two massive buildings and there were restaurants (like Sbarro!) and shops.
I have no idea what else we did that day. Maybe a Broadway show. Maybe a visit to Rockefeller Center. Who knows. I only remember being SO impressed by the World Trade Centers and that underground Sbarro.
Now they’re gone, and they took over 2,500 people with them. Along with the 266 people on the four planes that crashed and the 125 people who were killed at the Pentagon. Over 3,000 children lost a parent that day. I know a few of them. I’ve met more in the 8 years since.
I grieve for the people who died that day. I grieve for the families and friends who lost loved ones. I grieve for the rest of us, who lost…something. Even if it’s not something we can put our finger on. It’s significant. And it’s worth acknowledging.
We will not forget. I certainly haven’t.
*photos from my family archives*
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{ 17 comments… read them below or add one }
I loved seeing your photos and I loved your post. We all lost something that day, and frankly, I don’t think we’ll ever get it back.
I’m sad that our children will never know what it was like before.
.-= Marinka´s last blog ..9/10 =-.
Wow…I don’t know if I’ve heard the number of children who lost parents before, or if it only really sinks in now that I’m a parent myself, but that brought me the most tears. It’s like I can’t wrap my head around that…
.-= Lesha´s last blog ..I remember =-.
This is perfect . Yes, we all lost something.
I was on top of the world trade center once and it was amazing. Surreal that it’s not only not there, but why/how. And sbarro underground? Awesome.
what an amazing momento to have- that picture! Thanks for sharing!
.-= tena´s last blog ..History =-.
Wonderful post Meghan. I never had a chance to see visit the World Trade Center…before. I’ll always regret that.
.-= Chantel´s last blog ..8 Years =-.
A lovely tribute to lives lost, lives changed, and a country that began “a new normal” that day. It seemed at first that life as we knew it was over, but it wasn’t, it just changed.
But like Dec. 7, Nov. 22, Jan. 28 and many other dates too numerous to mention, we have to keep memorializing them, as generations fade and news ones are too young to recall. We have
to keep the memories alive – and make sure future generations understand the loss.
I remember.
I will NEVER forget!
What a great tribute. You are so right, EVERYONE lost something that day.
XOXO
.-= AmazingGreis´s last blog ..Do you remember? =-.
that’s the best way to word it. we feel like we lost something but just can’t put our finger on it. those were great photos btw.
Yes.
I went to NY when I was a teenager and I remember seeing them in the skyline and visiting them. I was so impressed and then watching them fall 8 years ago.. watching it as it happened… I get chills just thinking about it.
Thank you for writing this.
.-= rachel-asouthernfairytale´s last blog ..Come Rain or Come Shine =-.
Always, a part of my heart will remain broken in the aftermath of September 11.
.-= feefifoto´s last blog ..More About Michael Vick =-.
I flipped the channel to “Inside 9/11″ the other night. They were showing video of people jumping from the top floors of the North Tower. It was horrific, and I watched every second of it because I don’t ever want to forget what that day felt like, and I don’t ever want those poor people’s lives to be forgotten. This was a beautiful post (except for my haircut in that picture), and I hope you keep posting about 9/11 year after year so that we all remember the lives lost and the way the world has changed since that day.
I have never been able to see them in person. My son did buy me a Statue of Liberty figure at a store on the bottom floors in August just weeks before September 11th. I remember that day in September. I normally don’t have the TV on in the morning but I just came home very early that morning after taking my husband to the airport. His flight never took off that day.
I remember waking up my Aunt & Uncle that morning and telling them to turn on the TV. I still can’t believe what happened that day. It was a terrible day. I will never forget.
.-= Debby Pucci´s last blog ..WARNING: YOU ARE ABOUT TO WITNESS A MIRACLE =-.
Lovely post.
I never saw the towers in person. Only the huge gaping hole left behind…
.-= punkinmama´s last blog ..wordless wednesday: camera play =-.
September 11th is our wedding anniversary, and I’ll never forget that morning in 2001 when my phone rang and I just assumed it was my husband calling to wish me Happy Anniversary from his fire station (he was on duty that day) but instead it was my mother, in tears, asking me if I had the television on. I didn’t. When I turned it on, all I could see was a tall tower on fire, and for a second I thought it was L.A. and my heart sank as I knew my husband would be there, if so, and that must be why my mom is crying. Then when I realized that it was NewYork, I felt relieved. Relieved that it wasn’t MY fire fighter husband there. I feel a bit bad about having that emotion, although I know it’s a normal one to have. But still. That week was our first week back to school and it happened to be the first year that I began homeschooling, and I remember being so thankful that my kids were sitting in the next room in my house at that time instead of in a school. Because I didn’t know what was going on, where they would attack next…and I just wanted my kids close to me that day and was grateful to have them home. It was so awful watching those towers fall. I must have had my hand over my mouth for an hour or so while I watched the entire thing unfold from my television. It was such a helpless feeling. And I kept thinking about those fire fighters, their wives, their children. Being the wife of a fire fighter, this is where my mind was at the time. Of course, there were police officers, mothers, fathers, businessmen — so many who lost their lives that day. Not just fire fighters. But it was the wives of those fire fighters that I felt for the most that day, because I know how something like that is our worst fear. That in the line of duty, while saving others’ lives, our husband’s life could be lost. And there it was happening, to them, on live television, as the world watched
What a sad, sad day in our history. We will never forget.
.-= Katrina´s last blog ..End of Summer =-.
Meghan,
Thank you so much for writing this post. It’s so important that we never forget. This year I was honored to participate in Project 2996. Volunteers were assigned a victim to write about and post to their blog. I was working in NYC on Sept. 11 and I have so many vivid memories. But I was safe and others were not. Writing about Scott Schertzer put a face and a life to someone I would have never known otherwise. After writing about him I actually feel like I miss him. It’s so important we honor these people and never forget them.
You can learn more about Project 2996 and read my post about Scott on my blog:
http://featheredbythemoonlight.blogspot.com/2009/09/project-2996-remembering-scott-m.html
I encourage anyone with a blog to participate next year. It will move you in ways you can’t begin to imagine.
I grew up about an hour outside of NYC too. In upper Westchester. My Dad, my Uncles, and my cousin are all volunteer firefighters. Their departments sent trucks and manpower to Ground Zero on that day. I’ll never forget the text message I got from my cousin that afternoon when they got downtown, “Engine 168, approaching Ground Zero. I think this is a war zone.” When he came back and told us what he saw we all sat there and cried.
We all have memories of that day. It’s how we choose to remember that’s important. IF we choose.
I choose to remember.
.-= Pocklock´s last blog ..Step One =-.
that’s the best way to word it. we feel like we lost something but just can’t put our finger on it. those were great photos btw.