{remembering: 9/11}

I haven't posted anything since being here on vacation, but it's important for me to do so today, to remember and reflect. There's something so deep for me about today that draws me back to that day, time, visuals. I received a frantic phonecall that morning from a friend to make sure I was okay and to see if I knew what was going on. I didn't, and it was happening blocks away from my apartment on 22nd street and 9th avenue in Chelsea. Once I had the tv on, I went up to the roof of my building to watch with horror as the buildings burned, people jumped, and then the buldings fell with such unbelievable force, you can only understand it to have witnessed it with your own two eyes. When I think about it today, with all the information we now know, I wonder what was going through my mind as I saw the most horrible thing happening before me. I don't know, still don't, but know what the fear felt like, and the panic that ensued.

My office at the time was just blocks from the WTC in the financial district, and when we were finally able to return back to that part of town, the information was out, and we all knew what happened. There are many unbelieveable stories that I heard, but one that really takes me back is from my boss at the time. She was on the subway while the buildings were being attacked, and got off the subway just after the first plane hit. As she walked toward our building on John Street, an airline ticket fluttered down to her feet. She took note of this because we worked for a travel company called Travelocity, and that is not something that just happens. As she got to the office, obvious that something terrible was happening, the people who were already there were witnessing the events from our huge windows facing the towers. Their stories are horrible, they were lucky to be inside and safe.

The days and months that followed revolved around trying to get through those times, and working around ground zero. We dreaded our subway rides home, because some of the trains ran so close to the site that you could smell the death. They were sad and memorable times and are still difficult to think about. My most shocking moment was seeing the now infamous image (in person) of the twisted metal of the building. I have no pictures because it was so heart wrenching to see, that I couldn't bear to save an image of it. It was already imprinted in my mind, never to be forgotten.