About Me :)

I got married and made aliya five and a half years ago, all in the space of 3 days. And that is where this blog begins

יום שבת, 10 בספטמבר 2011

Remembering

September 11, 2002: I woke up that morning, and that distinctive feeling came flooding back. The terror, the feeling that the world is closing in on me, choking me. Yes, I was once again afraid, and I'll say it. Yes, I know that is what every terrorist wants, so why oblige them, right? But at that moment, a year following the fall of the Twin Towers, the reality was that I was afraid. Once again.

September 11,2001: As anyone in NY on that day can attest to, it was a beautiful Tuesday morning. The air was extra crisp with Autumn. The sun dazzled. I think we all remember that, no? How can we forget? In the days and weeks following this nightmare, we all spoke of how the fabulous weather stood in such stark contrast to the horror of the day.

I was in my office in Howard Beach, Queens. Barbara, an OT I worked with, knocked on my office door and I saw her standing there with her cell phone. She told me that a tower fell. I wasn't sure what that meant. 'A Twin Tower', she explained. I thought she was mistaken. After the therapy session, I saw a crowd of therapists, teachers, and assistants, gathering in the UPK classroom, all with their cell phones, talking with family members. I asked Barbara if the tower really fell, and she said "They both fell!" Then I began understanding what was truly happening. And I started listening to the radio that someone had switched on.

A dark veil of horror covered the rest of the day. As I drove home, I was shaking. I kept looking at the sky to see if any planes were headed towards my car. I had to talk myself calm.

No matter where I went in the days following, I knew what everyone was talking about, and I joined in strangers' conversations. Nothing else existed. A patriotic feeling welled up in each and every one of us, and we were all one big family of Americans.

September 11, 2011: I am in Israel, but today, my thoughts, prayers, and heart, are in New York City, my howetown. I'm no longer afraid. But I will always remember the victims. The ones whose planes crashed. The ones who held hands with co-workers as they jumped from the 90th, 91st, etc. floors of the Twin Towers. The firemen who ran into the burning buildings and died in the line of duty. They will always be in my thoughts and prayers on this day. May their souls rest in peace.

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