We Remember

It is hard to believe -- 12 years have passed. 12 years since the relative ease of the world I lived in changed. The day that made it impossible to look in the sky at planes flying over my city and not to wait to hear if it crashed into a building, to wait for the boom.

I've already talked about my experience on 11 September 2001 -- 9/11. The feeling small, the feeling lost in it all. And, above it all, the kindness of people.

I recently came across these pictures again, and was again kind of tripped out by them. One of my first trips to New York was apparently in September 1999, and I went a day or so early to check things out -- that day being 11 September 1999. A few coworkers and I went to Ellis Island, and were treated to this spectacular view of the NYC skyline. I was (and continue to be) amazed by how tall the buildings were -- I had never seen them so tall! And, standing above the rest, were the Twin Towers.

Later that week, we actually went to the top -- there was a bar and a viewing area. I stepped out to look but almost got sick when I realized how high up we were, so I quickly stepped back. Who knew that, just two years later, this view would no longer be available? That I should take advantage of it right then?

I'll never forget that experience, of seeing the one of the greatest cities in the world from that perspective. Just as none of us will ever forget the experience of watching that view topple down, a massive crunch of steel and concrete collapsing upon itself.

And we will always remember the innocent people who were taken from this world that day -- the mothers, fathers, sons and daughters, grandparents, sisters and brothers, best friends, husbands and wives. Some taken just by the circumstance of where they work, or happen to be, and some because they went to help, or took down a plane to save others.

We remember. #911