9/11 Memories

Disasters burn deep in the memory of those who experienced them firsthand, or those who witnessed the events unfold on a TV, computer, or cell phone September 11, 2001.  Earlier that year, I moved back to Florida from New York because my mother's health was deteriorating.  I worked for a large consulting firm that had a presence in the city nearest to my home.  9/11 started the same as most work days--a commute along jammed roadways into the city, parking the car, and then walking a short distance to the office.  A woman on a cell phone rode the elevator to the street of the parking garage, and, as we exited, exclaimed, "Oh my God!"  Those words shattered any semblance of normalcy that day.

She explained that a friend told her a plane had hit the south tower of the World Trade Center, and I felt an immediate unease.  She had no other details to offer, so I ran to the many-storied building that housed our office, so I could check the computer for details.  No one in the office had heard the news, so some of us gathered in a meeting room to watch TV.  Almost immediately after we turned it on, we witnessed the second plane smashing into the north tower.  Flames shot out from the building, and we realized this was no accident.  We were under attack, but didn't know from whom.  I bolted from the room to call our NY office to see if any of our consultants were working at either of the buildings.  Repeated attempts netted no results because all forms of communication to the city were on overload.

The firm sent us all home, and I spent the day watching tragic scenes from the site.  Intermittently, I tried to reach some of my friends, one of whom lived across from the World Trade Center complex.  Finally, I made contact and found that my friends were safe, but I still had no information about whether any consultants had perished.   Later that night, I spoke with someone in the Midtown office, and she told me that 45 consultants had escaped from the north tower, thanks to the quick thinking of the team leader.  He had a narrow escape from the 1993 bombing of  One World Trade, and he insisted that everyone continue down the stairs, despite repeated announcements to return to their offices.  Once they left the building they walked all the way to the Midtown office.  I don't remember his name, but I'm certain his team does.  He was a true hero.

It has taken 10 years, but the memorial was finally dedicated today, although its completion will take at least another year.  It is time to move on from the sorrow, yet we must remember the positive part of what happened after the attack.  People from all over the world mourned with us, and everyone put aside their political affiliations, their races, and their religions and joined together as Americans.  Now, with the economic downturn, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the political upheaval in Congress, we have forgotten our common goals.  I urge members of Congress to remember that their highest priority rests with promoting the health, welfare, and safety of this country's citizens.  The Preamble to the United States Constitution states, "We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America."(as originally written)  Keep this in mind, fellow citizens, if you ever doubt what common goals our ancestors deemed important to our country.