Sunday, September 18, 2011

September 11th

This post has been in my head for a while but time, energy, etc.

It has been (over) ten years since that day.
I did not lose someone specifically.
I did not even live in NYC at the time.
But of course I will never forget.
Who can.

When I moved to New York City in June 2002, it was one of the first places I visited.
After work one day, I walked thirty blocks to see it.
And I cried.
It was turning into a place people could and would make money.
T-shirts. Books. Photos. Food carts.
It was disgusting.

But over the last ten days or so, that is not what made me cry.
I am not super patriotic.
I do not believe this is the best country in the world.
Far from it.
Lots of places I have been are pretty awesome.
I almost moved to Sweden at one point.

But everywhere I went people talked about the men and women who sacrificed their life that day.
At the UCF football game, (almost) everyone wore a red banana in honor of one such man.  
At school, the firefighters and police were mentioned.  
On TV.
Radio.
Everywhere.
How people died so others could live.

And I know Roger did not decidedly die for me.
And I know he did not "save me" in the car accident. 
But he did.
In ways.
He gave me family that I had not experienced since I was a little girl.
He gave me the opportunity to meet my goal to finishing my degree.
A job that I am adoring.
A community, finally after searching for years.
And a believe that marriage could be a good thing.

Sigh... And I thought September would be easier.

1 comment:

Megan said...

How beautiful. I love how you intertwined your own story with 9/11.