Photo prompt © CEAyr
“I read to remember,” she said, her voice steel and quiver. “I read because he no longer can and because I know he was, most very likely, reading at the very moment his life stopped, evaporated, in mid-word. I read because mine almost stopped in the loss of him and in the enormity of the awfulness that took him and so many.
“I read to not forget. Because there is a bigger spark in life than in sorrow, and because he never would have left us, and certainly not this way. If it weren’t for the planes.
That September day.”
Note: Dedicated to all the lost, and to all those who lost so much, and to all that has been changed — insidiously and indelibly for so many — on September 11, 2001. I was here. I remember and I understand why we remember and what we must remember about ourselves and about who we can be. May we hold truth. May we be the better, kinder, more humane version of ourselves.
For Rochelle’s Friday Fictioneers
Beautifully penned dear Na’ama xxx
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Thank you, my friends. It is a tender day. XOXO
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💞💜💞🕊 xxx
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XO
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When we think no words can express, yet the heart reaches out and finds them. As yours has done.
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Thank you, Crispina.
We are – most of us on this planet – a lot better than some of the behaviors recently normalized (and all too often under the guise of ‘patriotism’ or ‘nationalism’). Humanity deserves better, and we can do better, and it helps me to remember it. Thank you for the kind comment, friend.
Na’ama
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When the *ill-behaved* are weighed against the rest of humanity, they are shown to be small. Unfortunately, so is a virus,
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Indeed. And yet we can bolster our immune system to fight viruses and inoculate against them …
Great analogy. Thanks Crispina!
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Beautiful. Thank you. 💚✨💚
Adele Ryan McDowell, Ph.D.
AdeleRyanMcDowell.com Adeleandthepenguin.com MakingPeacewithSuicide.com Channeledgrace.com
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Thank you, for YOU.
(and … safe travels very soon, too)
XOXO
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Beautiful Tribute, Na’ama. I think you said it all.
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Thank you, John.
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…עצוב 😦 ומחייב
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Yes. To both.
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This is really eloquent, some of the phrases and images here definitely hit me.
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Thanks, M K. It was that kind of a day, and the images were very powerful – those that were directly seen and those that were quite powerfully understood. I’m gratified it some of it was communicated.
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I write to remember, and through remembering I write! Great story, respect appreciated.
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Exactly, Jellico.
Am glad that your found it meaningful.
Na’ama
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Na’ama Y’karah,
Stunning. You gave me goosebumps and brought me to tears.
Our daughter in law narrowly escaped that day as she was on her way up to her office. Had she not been late that morning…I shudder when I remember. My brother worked in DC not far from the Pentagon. I will not forget.
Again…beautifully written.
Shalom and hugs,
Rochelle
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Thank you, Rochelle.
A friend of mine was on her way to a meeting and was running late, too (so many of these stories). Had she been there on time, she may well not still be with us today.
I also know some who did not make it home that night, and the clouds and smell of burning hung for days in the air, and stayed part of you. Perhaps quite literally.
People did all they could to help each other. I was volunteering by the Javits Center the following day – where the wide sidewalk became impromptu respite space and staging area, and trucks and buses to and from Ground Zero left and brought with then a stream of first responders’ and volunteer welders and steel workers even as concerned New Yorkers walked over to bring packets of new dry socks and hot food and change of clothing and anything that became evident as needed for the first responders. Most of the latter just wanted to lie down on the sidewalk and rest their feet and close their eyes (and minds, perhaps) to the reality they just left and were soon to return to. They were almost too tired to eat and drink or change drenched socks or bandage blisters. We enticed them and tried to make sure they got at least some fluids in, till their break was over and they returned to Ground Zero. It was only the first day of many other things myself along with uncounted other New Yorkers did in the days and weeks and months that followed, helping in all manner of venues, therapeutic and supportive and otherwise. We will none of us forget.
Hugs
Na’ama
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A loving tribute, and nicely worked around the prompt.
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Thank you. Iain. I know some who read and re-read books their loved ones had loved to read. Because it feels like a bridge. And so much of the death was so utterly sudden and complete, there was – and remains – a need to hold on to something.
Na’ama
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Perfectly penned for today, Na’ama.
The world over was affected by the happenings that day, the repercussions felt by all. My husband’s painter lost his two sisters. It seems we all know someone who lost someone, or who narrowly escaped.
We won’t forget, fear not.
Hugs xoxo
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Thank you, dear Dale.
I am not fearful that it will be forgotten, as I am mindful of how there is a whole generation who is growing up after 9/11 and may not even know a world before it. It makes me sad. It also makes me determined that we all remain aware of the choices we make each day – whether to be kind or not, whether to take the high road or not, whether to stand for truth or for distortion, whether to work for unity and humanity or for the divisiveness of fear and hate. The events of 9/11 changed many and changed many things. My hope is that the sacrifices – then and since – would not be in vain and would not be used to amplify pain but to help amplify sanity and unity. For we are all, one. No matter how some try to pretend we are not. We are.
Hugs
Na’ama
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How true.
And yes. It is about us, our choices to be kind, to be loving, to care for our fellow man. I like to think that if we all do our little part, we will eventually overcome the ugly. I know, I am dreaming in Technicolor but it won’t stop me from doing my little bit of good.
Lotsa love,
Dale
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I don’t think you are dreaming. I think that is the only path that makes sense.
Hate, division, and indoctrination drove the events of 9/11, as they drive ALL terrorists and terror acts. Those can, alas, also become the forces that drive the reactions to terror … But they don’t have to be. Because if each of us hates less, divides less and is more aware of the realities and impact of indoctrination to ugliness under the guise of ‘right’, we can change the vector of where this is going. Here’s to doing our little bit of good. It adds up, and then it is not so little anymore. Also, for the person one does “a little bit of good” for, it is not little at all.
So, there is is. Not a dream, but the path to follow. Here’s to kindness, love, and care for fellow humans and the world we live in!
XOXO Na’ama
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Beautifully said. Again.
XOXO
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XOXO
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So many lives changed that day – probably all of us. Our outlook on the world changed, and what we believe about it. The terrorists changed everything for almost 3,000 people. Such a sad day. It’s our generations Pearl Harbor wake up.
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Thank you for this poignant comment, Nan.
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A timely yet tender reminder of that horrific event. I’m so pleased I read this.
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Thank you, Keith!
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Lovely tribute, a tragic day.
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Thank you. It was a tragic day. Also a heartwarming day and time following – in how people showed the BEST they could be. May we have more of the best and less of the evil given space.
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My heart goes out to everyone, such a tragic day. I will never understand why such evil exists.
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You and me both, James.
It was a tragic day. It was also an inspiring day – and days and weeks and months that followed – in how people found ways to help each other and how the BEST in people was brought out, as well, in response to the WORST in people.
Evil exists. So does goodness. I believe there is a whole lot more of the latter, though the former makes more noise and can appear to be the stronger. It is not. When it does rise, it is only temporarily, and we are not helpless to overcome it.
Thank you for reading and commenting.
May less evil be there and more goodness prevail.
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Beautifully said, Na’ ama. The only thing I would change is that it wasn’t because of the planes. It was because of the deliberate, meticulous planning and execution of those who flew the planes, as well as the people behind them and supporting them. Airplanes don’t commit murder. People do.
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I hear you, and I agree conceptually that it wasn’t “because” of the planes, but it certainly was “via” the planes. For many of the families, some of whom I know personally – the reality that the planes became the weapon in the hands of the terrorists does not make the terrorists less responsible, nor does it change the fact that the planes themselves became the markers of before/after for those who one moment had a family member, and the next did not, as a plane full of fuel, piloted by hate, exploded and incinerated their loved ones and all on the planes (or caused the fires and structural damage that led to the buildings to crumble over their loved one as they fled). Airplanes don’t need to ‘commit’ murder to become a weapon of murder, which is why there have since been security measures (some more reasonable than others but generally agreed to be needed) put in place in order to try and prevent more planes from being used as weapons.
For the 9/11 families, the planes flying into the WTC and the pentagon, or smashing down into the field in PA, are part of the trauma of that day.
Na’ama
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You stated that very well, and I understand. The planes were weaponized, and as such became part of the nightmare. For me, part of “never forget” is to be wise and wary of our enemies–those who use inanimate objects to cause great harm.
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Am glad I was able to clarify my meaning. Yes, not forgetting also means remaining aware of danger even while we also keep aware of not falling into traps of overgeneralizing who ‘the enemy’ is or how hate is expressed and what is weaponized in its service. For we also know that hate can be weaponized by any radicalized group, and that violence all too often rides along and is ‘justified’ as part of it.
May we, indeed, “never forget” – the price of hate as well as the realities of amazing strength that comes from joining together in empathy across and in spite and even in celebration of differences, in order to offer healing. We have seen that, too, after 9/11, and it was that which I find to be the more meaningful. Terror wishes to disrupt, and it is relatively easy to disrupt and harm and destroy and fan flames of anger and hate and ‘otherness’. It lets terror win if we do that. But the outpouring of compassion and kindness and helping each other that I saw in NYC (and I’m sure was also across the US), after the 9/11 attacks, became a stronger force by far than the ugliness of zealots. I won’t forget that, either.
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So true. And it is that attitude of helping and encouraging that we need to foster. Stop the name-calling and accusations. Hatred destroys.
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I agree. Insults and name calling and obstruction and division are the pathway to hate, and they destroy. While tolerance, inclusion, curiosity, understanding, and compassion are what builds.
May we build.
Na’ama
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Reading to keep the memory of a loved one alive. Nicely done.
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Thank you, Abhijit! 🙂
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Heartbreaking. Yet beautiful. A wonderful tribute to a tragedy that stunned the world. Great job, Na’ama!
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Thank you, Shweta!
Alas too many in the world know grief for things that did not need to happen. May more find healing and may hate give way to compassion.
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A fitting tribute to the victims of that day.
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Thank you, Fatima.
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Beautifully written, Na’ama. —- Suzanne
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Thank you, Suzanne! I’m so glad this resonated.
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