Tuesday, September 11th.

September 11, 2012

I’ll never forget that September 11th was a Tuesday. This year it’s on a Tuesday again.

When I went to BlogHer, one of the most important things for me to do with my friend “Martha” was to go down to see the progress at the new World Trade Center. It was surreal. I had no words and I felt numb.

We were working together in New York on September 11th 11 years ago. We still call each other every year. Our hearts are still heavy on this day.

Progress. One World Trade Center.

We had wanted to make it to New York for the 10 year anniversary of September 11th, but we didn’t.

It was ok that we didn’t. I think it’s better that we didn’t.

When we made it down there together this year, I took a lot of pictures.

I took a lot of pictures of other people taking pictures.

Shortly after the attacks, I would cry in my New York apartment wondering when and if people would forget. I wrote about not forgetting, begging the world not to forget how awful it was and how many people were devastated that day. The images, the smells, the horror. I never wanted it to be minimalized. I never want the souls who witnessed such horror to be forgotten. Still this day 11 years later, I want them to know we still remember. And that I still think about them.

I am sorry you went through that. It was one of the worst days in American history and I’m so sorry you were there.

Now, there are generations of people like my sons who are growing up not knowing what it was like before September 11th and not knowing what it was like on September 11th.

This year, I was happy to see so many people still making a pilgrimage to downtown New York City, people by the droves on a Thursday afternoon in the middle of the week, still going, still taking pictures, still talking. 

Sharing the story of that day with the new generations.

I still think it’s important not to forget.

I will never forget.

As life continues to go on.

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