September 11th, 2001: Seasons of Love

0

SEPT 11th, 2001_Tuesday, September 11th, 2001 was one of those beautiful, crisp mornings. The sky was blue. The temperature was perfect. It was one of those mornings where you’re walking down the streets of Manhattan thinking about how lucky you are to live in such an amazing city. You don’t smell the steam coming up from the sewers. You’re not bothered by the crowds. You barely notice the construction. Even your fifty cent coffee guy is smiling. It had the potential to be a great day.

It has been 14 years. Babies born in 2001 are entering high school. At the time, I was leaving high school. And in those fourteen years in between, our world has changed so incredibly much.

My daughter will most likely never know what it’s like to greet family at an airport gate.

My daughter will most likely know that if she sees something, she needs to say something.

My daughter will probably not even notice the officers with guns and dogs at large public events.

My high school was about four blocks from the World Trade Center. I used to go Christmas shopping in that mall underneath the towers with my friends each year. Basketball practice involved running up through Battery Park City, in the shadow of those two massive giants. I used to gaze at them through my classroom windows when I was particularly bored in class. These buildings were so iconic, the only tall structures in the entire downtown area, that after September 11th, New Yorkers often said it was as if New York had lost its two front teeth.

I graduated high school in June of 2001. Which means that I missed being there, right in the thick of things, by two months. And for that I am both grateful, and exceptionally saddened. Grateful because I know what it’s like to ride multiple subways to school and games without even thinking about terrorism. I know what it’s like to run through Grand Central without running into an armed military person. I know what it’s like to not have an anxiety attack every time I heard a plane overhead. Grateful to not have certain images implanted on my eyelids when I go to sleep at night. And saddened because on this particular day, the only place I wanted to be in the world was in my hometown of New York City with my friends and family. Not in some new city where I barely knew anyone. On that day, I watched friends, former teachers, and my principal on TV from my dorm room in Boston as they ran out of the 10 story high school. I sat in silence with my roommate whose father was NYFD and whose mother was NYPD as she waited to hear from them. I hunkered down as my new campus, and city, went into lock down for weeks. All I wanted to do was help somehow, but there was nothing I could do. I still get goosebumps every time I talk about it, or try to write about it.

911This image shows the view from slightly North of my high school, as taken by a student and published in the school newspaper, (c/o: The Stuyvesant Spectator on Scribd). You can see the bridge that connects to my HS’s front door in the distance.

September 11th is not just about New York. And it’s not just about bad guys. We say Never Forget. And it’s true. We really should never forget those who lost their lives that day. In DC. In Pennsylvania. In New York. Those who died later from illnesses that were a result of what they inhaled while trying to help others. Those who lost loved ones. Fathers, mothers, sons, daughters, brothers, sisters, grandparents, uncles, aunts, cousins, friends.

We should also never forget the good. That in a city with a bad reputation for being standoffish and selfish, hundreds of people ran into a building when common sense said to run out. That when faced with trying to survive or trying to prevent even worse destruction, people on a plane over Pennsylvania chose to do the most courageous thing possible. That in a city thought to be cold and regulated, warm-hearted people did their best to help those who were hurt. And everyone did this without knowing the “Why” behind any of the events of that day, nor knowing what else might happen.

In 2015, there is a lot of tension between people and police. The media shows us Ferguson. Baltimore. Cincinnati. North Charleston, SC. New York’s “Stop and Frisk” under fire. And yes, there are officers who do the wrong thing. But in 2001, there were many officers who were heroes. There were many firefighters who were heroes. There were many paramedics who were heroes. There were many members of the military who were heroes. And there were many civilians who were heroes. Let’s take at least one day to remember those who gave all and let’s take a moment of silence for the heroes in our society, living and deceased.

While the numbers tend to differ slightly, according to Statistic Brain:

  • 246 people lost their lives on the 4 airplanes.
  • 125 people lost their lives in the Pentagon.
  • 2,606 people lost their lives in the World Trade Center attacks.

Of these:

  • 37 police officers from Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Police Department lost their lives.
  • 23 police officers from the NYC Police Department lost their lives.
  • 343 Firefighters from the NYC Fire Department lost their lives.
  • 2 Paramedics.

A total of 2,996 people lost their lives on September 11, 2001.

And there are still people fighting and losing battles with cancers and other diseases caused from their rescue efforts and the aftermath of September 11th, 2001. As of August 9, 2015, there are now 3,700 people suffering from 9/11 linked cancers. (according to the NY Post)

Furthermore, “The FDNY’s chief medical officer, Dr. David Prezant, said over 2,100 firefighters and EMS personnel have retired on disability with World Trade Center-related illnesses, mostly lung disease and cancer, since 9/11.” and 109 NYC Firefighters have passed away from 9/11 related cancers. (NY Post)

If there’s anything we can learn from such a tragedy, it’s that with evil, comes good. Most people are good. On September 11th, 2001, we saw the helpers that Mr. Roger’s mom was talking about. We saw beauty  in the breakdown. We saw people displaying pure compassion for complete strangers. We saw love.

There’s a scene in the movie Love Actually, a British film that came out in 2003, where they show the arrivals at Heathrow Airport. You see people hugging, kissing, crying. And Hugh Grant’s character, the Prime Minister, says:

“Whenever I get gloomy with the state of the world, I think about the arrivals gate at Heathrow Airport. General opinion’s starting to make out that we live in a world of hatred and greed, but I don’t see that. It seems to me that love is everywhere. Often, it’s not particularly dignified or newsworthy, but it’s always there – fathers and sons, mothers and daughters, husbands and wives, boyfriends, girlfriends, old friends. When the planes hit the Twin Towers, as far as I know, none of the phone calls from the people on board were messages of hate or revenge – they were all messages of love. If you look for it, I’ve got a sneaky feeling you’ll find that love actually is all around.”

Yes, I still tend to look up every time I hear an airplane. And I definitely think about things when I take a subway, train, or plane. Yes, I am still uneasy when I see an officer with a machine gun. Yes, I tend to be more anxious in crowds. And for many of us who were alive during this tragedy, this might just be our permanent way of thinking. But that doesn’t mean my daughter needs to know this fear. We shouldn’t let fear win. Because in truth, there is just too much good in the world.

So on this September 11th, send messages of love. Love to your family. To your children. To your neighbors. To public servants. To total strangers. To everyone. Do a good deed. Pay it forward. Smile. Hug. Kiss. Say, “I love you.” Let’s make love newsworthy. Because the only way to combat fear is with love.

**If you’re feeling charitable, Huffington Post published a list of September 11th charities that are working hard to help those directly affected by the tragic events. Find that list here: September 11th Charities

**Also, here is the link for the 9/11 Memorial: 9/11 Memorial

Previous articleAre You the Next CMB Team Member?
Next articleMotherhood at Dusk {Series}
Jamie Stinson
One minute my husband and I are strolling down the boardwalk near our home in New Jersey with our daughter and dog, and the next we're on a plane bound for Cincinnati! As far as I'm concerned, there's nothing better than an adventure. Plus, it seems as though all of the things I love: running, snowboarding, traveling, food, and sports are all right here for us to enjoy. I'm looking forward to discovering this city with my family, trying new things, and sharing my experience with you!

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here