Sunday, September 11, 2011

9-11, Ten Years Later, We Remember, Two Opposing Emotions

CABS for Reflections From the Fence


Has it really been 10 years?  Hard to believe, but true.

Yes, we all know and remember where we were on that crisp, sunny, bright, September morn 10 years ago.  As family historians have you recorded your thoughts, your view points, your fears, your concerns?  I did, in an abbreviated form and it is recorded in my data base.  Pretty much this is what it says:

Man's birthday, I had cooked him a large breakfast, eggs, meat, french toast. At some point, I walked into the front room to glance at Good Morning America (who knows why, I just did) and at that very moment the second plane flew into the World Trade Tower. I saw it hit. And we spent a good part of his birthday watching the television reports. Later that evening, our boys came to celebrate their father's birthday. We called around and found a restaurant open, we went there. Business was very slow. The world surely changed that day, freedoms limited, security increased.

Man had retired just 9 months prior, on January 1, 2001.  We were adjusting to retirement, reasonably healthy.  We were having a birthday celebration, and in just moments, our lives and those of everyone we knew, of the entire world, changed.  Really changed.

And, never again, would Man's birthday be the same, because it was now linked in some weird way to the events of 9-11.  Each September 11th is now bitter sweet, his birthday and the memories, always the memories.

Lest we forget - - - those lost on that horrific day.

And, Happy Birthday Man!




* Photo of Mt. Rushmore taken July 3, 2011.  Photo of Man taken in Arches National Park.
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7 comments:

Barbara Poole said...

Everybody alive on that 9/11 day remembers everything, but not all have that date as a birthday. Must be difficult for you and Al. You got to the point with clarity and shared your day, that's all that was needed. Nice photos too. Happy Birthday to Al, and Peace to All.

Carol said...

Thanks Barbara, this was a very difficult post to write. It is a difficult day, 10 years later.

Peace to all.

Susan Clark said...

Amen, Barbara. Completely agree. Well done, Carol.

And Happy, happy birthday to your stalwart Man.

Lori E said...

The world will never forget, no matter where we are from.
Never.

Michelle Goodrum said...

Amen Barbara. I couldn't have said what I was thinking nearly as well as you did.

Happy Birthday Man. A bright spot in what has become an emotional day for our entire country.

Grandma MG said...

Very well written and thoughtful. One bright light with this picture, we get to Man from the front!!! Usually we seem him leading down the trail!!! Happy Birthday Man!

Greta Koehl said...

Happy belated birthday to man. It's so unfortunate to have to share a birthday with the day of that horrible event, but he seems to be the kind of strong, grounded guy who can handle it.