I wanted to take advantage of some of the opportunities to reflect and remember on the tenth anniversary of 9/11. I went to church with friends in the morning. In the afternoon, I watched a documentary at the Film Forum on Houston Street.
But the most meaningful moment for me came during my pre-church jog along the Hudson River Park. Around 8:30 a.m., I headed south from 12th Street as usual and jogged around some of the buildings near Battery Park, a few blocks from Ground Zero where the memorial ceremony was underway. As I turned around at the ferry terminal to return north, uniformed officers were everywhere.
A few blocks later, I saw a group of about eight firefighters wearing their dress blues, headed south toward the memorial site. As they approached, I teared up a bit at the sight of them, dressed up and striding south together to honor their colleagues. When we passed, I gave them a friendly wave and a smile. The irony of our paths struck me: they were headed toward the site of the towers, I was running away from them. Ten years had passed, yet the pattern was the same. Firefighters going in, civilians going out.
More than anything I saw, heard or read to commemorate the tenth anniversary, that moment is the image that sticks with me. Thanks be to all those who risk their own lives to keep the rest of us safe.
No comments:
Post a Comment