Sunday, September 11, 2011

10 Years Later














Ten years ago today I went to work on a wonderfully sunny September day and before the morning was over the world changed.  When the first plane hit I thought like everyone else... accident... when the second one hit I thought terrorism...

When the towers began to fall I left the lunchroom at work which was now full of people watching history unfold.  The senior director realizing that I was the only American in the office ran after me into the main hall.  I stood there looking at him as I began to break down... How could this happen?




















The enormity of the moment was simply bigger than anyone could bare... He sent me home and told me to take the rest of the week off.  He understood.

Every year I have taken a moment to remember.. The emotions in that moment have stayed with me.  I knew know one who died that day personally.  While I felt for the thousands who died and their families, what was damaged in me I shared with millions of Americans and I carry it with me still.  For the first time in our history someone had tried to kill the American Dream.
















One of my earliest thoughts post 9/11 was that the events of that day had made the fourth stanza of America The Beautiful irrelevant...  My grief held me and I could not see the future.

O beautiful for patriot dream 
That sees beyond the years 
Thine alabaster cities gleam 
Undimmed by human tears! 
America! America! 
God shed his grace on thee 
And crown thy good with brotherhood 
From sea to shining sea! 


But I was wrong... On this the 10th Anniversary the future is rising in the ashes of what was.  The main tower of One World Trade Center stands tall and the fitting 9/11 Memorial is completed to mark the anniversary.  We can begin to move forward now.


                                                                              

Much has transpired in the last ten years.  The world has changed and in many ways become ugly and divissive and I fight everyday to not let cynicism change who I am.   What was lost 10 years ago was not just three buildings and four planes and the humans beings that occupied them.  It was a way of life, the loss of liberty that once existed how ever real or unreal you may have thought that concept was.

Still freedom prevails, America is still the ideal many people aspire too and the place many people hope to live.
You can't kill an idea. God Bless the United States of America.

And God Bless the the generosity of the folks in Halifax, Nova Scotia and Gander, Newfoundland who took in over 22,500 airline passengers into their collective homes on 9/11 when so many planes war forced to land out side of the United States.


Note: All  text (not specified) is copyrighted by Christopher Cushman. Images used were from the web and appreciate any and all of the photographers indulgence as I use them. This site does not specify or denote the sexual orientation of any model and as such please post your comments accordingly.

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