I’m writing this exactly 24 hours after the beginning of a day that will haunt us all for the rest of our lives. The sun rose today as any other day and shines upon the heads of the many brave fire, police and rescue personnel that search for the victims including half of the original firefighters that entered the building first. There is the glimmer of hope as six survivors are found. This balanced against the emergency room doctor who explains the number of injured at his facility -well over 300-is a bad sign and speaks to the great loss of life.
Already the press has begun like vultures, descending on families with missing loved ones from the Trade Center or planes. I abhor the manner in which they are probed and asked questions as they choke back tears. As the coverage continues-I find it more difficult to watch as the cameras focus on the devastation. I wonder sometimes, about how this desensitizes our children to violence. Does the news look any different than the video game or the movies that so many are allowed to watch.
We must all, my friends, as others have already said so well, consider the magnitude of this tragedy and what is means for all of us who consider ourselves human. The changes, as Abbey so aptly says, must begin with each of us. This is a day to put away a petty feud, listen to a lost soul and be as we were created to be. As long as we tolerate injustice and prejudice this will be our world.
For myself, I feel very fortunate-I stepped off a plane in Boston on Monday afternoon-a day earlier than I had originally planned. My brother missed a flight that would have put him at Dulles in Washington. My friend’s daughter who works at the World Trade Tower was late due to traffic and missed her ferry to Manhattan.
Today, pray for those we have lost, pray for those who grieve and hold close those you love.
Addendum
As was graciously pointed out to me in the comments, NYC is under ordinary circumstances a wonderful place to visit and I would definitely recommend it. For this review, I felt the need to say ’’no’’ but as a statement regarding the tragedy and not the city.