Tuesday, September 11th, 2001, dawned as a perfect day. The cloudless sky was an incredibly magnificent brilliant blue. Light breezes touched my face auguring the approaching Fall. The air was crisp, cool and clear!
My husband, Marty and I were feverishly packing, to make a courageous life changing move to Florida. Boxes and cartons were strewn around our house, as we carefully wrapped precious items to go to our new home. We were excited and at the same time, the thought of leaving our life long home was very painful.
We will never forget the shock, fear and overwhelming sorrow that we felt as we sat in our half-empty house, when we saw those unforgetable pictures on television with the news about the attacks. No longer able to continue our packing, we hugged each other tightly, our tears flowing down our cheeks with complete disbelief on our faces. We watched, riveted to the TV, trying to understand the unfolding events of that dreadful morning.
I had lived in New York my entire life. Born in Manhattan, I had moved to the suburbs, about 30 miles north of the World Trade Center. While I could not see the towers from my house, driving frequently into the city to visit friends, they were a landmark.. a proud and shimmering icon of strength and beauty.
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I had visited the towers often. The breathtaking elevator ride to the summit was an experience that I will never forget. The view of New York City and the surrounding vista was spectacular. Our town.. our love.. our home!
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I remember seeing the towers many times from the air whenI was flying home from a journey far from home. They always heraldedmy safe return to New York . Who could ever imagine that these incredibly majestic structures would ever be lost to us. Unthinkable! A beaconlost forever.
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Yet, on that spectacularly beautiful morning, the world was changed, forever, in those terrifying two hours.
And as I boarded an almost empty plane on 9/15 to fly to Florida with my cat in tow, to begin our new life in Florida with Marty, I thought that our lives would never be the same. There would be no guiding beacon. Our innocence was gone as well. As our plane flew over the gaping wound of what had been the Twin Towers, I wept. Most of the people on the plane also wept ... for so many losses. And our lives have not been the same!
And all of us would be changed forever in ways that still may not be understood.
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We all need to be join in prayer and support for peace, not only on the fifth anniversary of 9/11, but every day that we awaken and begin our daily routines. We cannot take our freedom or the gifts that we have been given as American Citizens for granted ever! We have been given a huge responsibility to keep our spirits burning with the goal of universal peace and unconditional love for our brothers and sisters. We must not hate. We must not live in fear. We must live in love and peace.
We must always remember, never forget!
What we can do to let our voices be heard on this fifth anniversary of 9/11!
On Monday, September 11th, 2006, an American flag should be displayed outside every home, apartment, office, and store in the United States.
Every individual should make it their dutyto display an American flag on this fifth anniversary of our country'sworst tragedy. We do this in honor of those who lost theirlives on 9/11, their families, friends and loved ones who continue to endurethepain, and those who today are fighting at home and abroad to preserve our cherished freedoms.
In the days, weeks and months following 9/11, our country was bathed in American flags as citizens mourned the incredible losses and stood shoulder-to-shoulder against terrorism. Sadly, those flags have all but disappeared. Our patriotism pulled us through some tough times and it
shouldn't take another attack to galvanize us in solidarity. Our
American flag is the fabric of our country and together we can prevail over terrorism of all kinds.
Action Plan:
(1) Please share the link to this journal entry with folks you love.
(2) Fly an American flag of any size on 9/11 (and every other National holiday).
Thank you for your participation. God Bless You and God Bless America
All Photographs Of The World Trade Center by Peter B. Kaplan
© Peter B Kaplan 2006 All Rights Reserved- courtesy of Peter B. Kaplan Images, Inc
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For a wonderful tribute (with magnificent musc) to 9/11 visit this journal too.
"Perish The Thought"
14 comments:
NOBODY COULD HAVE SAID WHAT YOU DID ANY BETTER. IT WAS BEAUTIFUL. I WAS UP WATCHING THE NEWS THAT MORNING AND I COULDN'T BELIEVE MY EYES WITH WHAT I WAS SEEING AND I RUN FOR THE PHONE AND CALLED ALL MY CHILDREN THAT 2 PLANES JUST CRASHED INTO THE TWIN TOWERS. MY 2 SON THAT ARE FIREMEN WENT BACK THERE AND SAID YOU COULDN'T BELIEVE IT IF YOU DIDN'T SEE IT. I SENT ALL KINDS OF THINGS THAT THEY ALL NEEDED. GLOVES,SOCKS , EYE DROPS , TOOTH PASTE, TOOTH BRUSHES, COMBS,SHAMPOO AND ALOT MORE. I FLY MY FLAG EVERYDAY AND I WILL NEVER FORGET THAT DAY AS LONG AS I LIVE. GOD BLESS ALL THE FAMILY'S FOR THE LOST OF ALL THEIR LOVED ONES.
BETTY
Thank you Jo for helping us remember that horrible day when so very many lives were so needlessly lost. Do you remember in the days following how many flags were flying (a LOT), then as time went on they got less and less almost like people didn't want to remember that awful day. Yes, there will probably be flags flown on that date this year but I'll bet a lot will be flown by people who think it's something they HAVE to do!
Thank you Betty for your comments reminding us of that day as well!
Terry
This is a message that comes from the heart..it is BEAUTIFULLY written, eloquent and it captures the pain that we felt that horrible, tragic day. Thank you for writing this and for helping us to remember that what we so cherish should be remembered every day. And let us not forget those who perished that tragic day and their families...
Oh, I am crying, seems like just yesterday-- that was ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL!! THANK YOU so much for that tribute.
LOVE & PRAYERS FOR PEACE, SAFETY, AND EVERYONE WHO THIS TRAGEDY TOUCHED AND BROKE THEIR HEARTS.
LOVE,
CHERYL G
I will always remember where I was when I heard the news. I was driving my children to school when the announcement came on the radio that the second tower had fallen. I pulled the car over to the curb, sat there and cried. My boys didn't understand why it upset me so. We live in Memphis but I grew up in NJ and remember when the Towers were built. I worked in lower Manhattan for 3 years and took the PATH into the Towers every day and then walked from there to my office on Maiden Lane. I've stood at the base and looked directly up. I've stood on the observation deck and looked directly down. I thought of the thousands of people that were in and around the Towers that morning. And I cried.
What a beautiful, and moving tribute for the fifth anniversary of this horrible tragedy. On a recent Oprah show, they showed the story of the children of 9/11 and how they have grown. They also showed the story of five women whos husbands had perished in the horrible attack. Although most of them have moved on, and remarried, they will never forget the events and heartbreak of that fateful day. I wish there was some way they could al see this beautiful tribute dedicted to the loss of the ones they loved, and miss so much. They would surely be grateful, and very moved.
A soulful and honest reminiscent entry about the terrible day that the World Trade Center was attacked. I applaud you for this extremely well written article.
http://journals.aol.com/sandman85048/sandmansweeklyviews
I flew a few days after the 11th to visit my mother in NJ - I now live in Tx....
My brother witnessed it all from Englewood --- I saw it on tv in Tx while waiting for a girlfriend to go walking. It will always pain me to fly into Newark and not see the towers. Unfortunately I'm one of those that fears all.... had my daughter in Cyprus for the month of July/beg of Aug. We flew there to see her and there was the Lebanon/Israeli war.... I feel like we just can't escape it anymore. I don't want to live my life in fear. God bless us all, and a hopefully peacefull lifetime...
Thank you for sharing such painful memories. Never being to New York, I can't imagine what it's like for those who have lived there not to see such a landmark for the reason they're missing now. I can only imagine- I had similar thoughts when back in June, 17 were arrested in and around Toronto, for planning another attack. My old hometown. I now live in Florida, but the City is still my home. I'm just grateful that they were caught and didn't have a chance to do it again. I'm very sad though for New York, and all the people who have lost someone and so much. Thank you. Carolyn
My heart goes out to all the family and friends of 9/11. Not a day goes by that I do not think of that day with sorrow and tears. it still hurts five years later. I'll never forget. God Bless the USA and all that help us keep our Freedom. And may God be with us all.
Jo,
Thank you for such a wonderful tribute. We should never forget the unthinkable events that took place five years ago. And thank you for reminding America to fly her flag. Patriotism isn't something that should be taken out for national holidays or tragedies and then put away with the flag. Patriotism should be a way for life for ALL Americans. Despite her faults, she is still the greatest country in the world.
God bless our military, God bless our police and fire fighters, and GOD BLESS AMERICA!
Reno
Beautiful! Well done!
Adding to my previous comment, I'd also like to thank you for being the first one to comment on my Weekly Views blog.
http://journals.aol.com/sandman85048/sandmansweeklyviews
Fantastic...beautiful tribute. I love the way you write...the way you express yourself.
Nancy
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