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Remembrance Day – 9/11

September 11th, 2006

WTC Tribute Lights

Originally uploaded by Alienswede.

I had a very close call on 9/11. I was supposed to have had a meeting at 9am that morning in the WTC which got cancelled a week earlier. Like Steve Rubel, I cannot watch footage without a lump in my throat. Dave Winer was blogging that day – his post is fascinating.

In the present, Malcolm Pollack talks about his memories in his typically uber-eloquent style and there’s a heckuva discussion over at DailyKos.

I had not started blogging yet, but I used to write an annual newsletter, and wrote a long one exactly one week after 9/11. In memoriam, here is the full text of that letter, which I sent out to my whole address book.

My comments are rather interesting given the current discussions of a multi-national peacekeeping force….

The other observation I can add is that I found that New Yorkers ‘recovered’ from the disaster much more quickly than the rest of the country. At the time, I figured it was either because of the native resilience or because of the hordes of therapists that ply their trade here. I’ve now changed that view, and believe it was due to the proximity. Seeing the site (and smelling it) helped New Yorkers emotionally process the events more quickly than those elsewhere. A dear friend in Bombay who had worked at the WTC for several years didn’t come to grips with it for three years until she finally visited Ground Zero. Seeing the place brings closure, so for those who are still struggling with it, I’d suggest spending some quiet time there.

Entry Filed under: Blogging