There are certain days in your life that you will always remember: where you were, what you were wearing or eating, or with whom you were talking. The day JFK was assassinated, as well as Martin Luther King, Jr, when the space shuttle blew up, D-Day, and on and on. And so we recall, as the tenth anniversary nears, that horrible morning of September 11, 2001. A magnificent autumn day, a cloudless, bright blue sky that is etched into the mind and heart of those of us, thousands of miles away, who happened to turn on our t.v. only to see billows of black smoke clouding that brilliant sky. Most of us didn’t smell that acrid smoke nor choke on the deadly dust, but we remember…will always remember!
How many people’s lives were changed forever in an instant? Loved ones’ lives cut short. Brave police and firemen who lost their lives to save people they had never met. Dedicated workers and volunteers who worked around the clock searching for survivors.
As we take time to reflect on the 10th Anniversary of a day none of us will ever forget, let us come together to grieve, to remember, to express our gratitude to those who demonstrated what it is to be a hero, and to pledge ourselves to live in honor of their bravery.
How can we solemnize these memories on this anniversary date?
Send a care package to a soldier overseas. There are several organizations such as thesoldierfamily.com, ustroopcarepacakges.com, operationgoodybag.org, and operationgratitude.com
Below are a number of sites that can be visited, venues that will teach and remind us, and perhaps for some lead to healing and peace of mind.
Ideally, one should be in New York City for the events which will take place, but there will also be observances in Washington, D.C., and Shanksville, P,A and probably in your own hometown.
Perhaps you are near enough to visit Ground Zero: meditate as you walk along the two pools that mark the footprints of the North and South Towers. Pause as you read the thousands of names, etched in bronze, the three thousand names of those who died that infamous day. The North Pool lists the names of those who perished in the North Tower and on Flight 11. The South Pool memorializes the South Tower dead, the First Responders, the Pentagon dead, Flights 175, 77, and 93. Pause and remember.
The Memorial will be dedicated on the Anniversary Day. The families of those lost that day are invited to special ceremonies and private visits. Each victim’s name will be read aloud by a family member and by student volunteers.
Nearby, in Battery Park, there will be a display of 3000 red and blue banners, displaying the names of each soul lost that day.
At 2:00 PM at St. Patrick’s Cathedral, 343 active or retired members of the New York Fire Department representing First Responders who died in the line of duty that day, will line Fifth Avenue as family members gather.
The “Tunnel to Tower Run” will honor Stephan Siller, a First Responder, last seen running through the Battery Tunnel with 60 pounds of gear toward the inferno. 20,000 walkers and runners participated in 2010! (718-987-1931
Two musical events will honor the day: Lincoln Center will hold a Concert of Commemoration noted musicians and two commissioned works: “The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace” and “For the Fallen: In Memoriam”. The String Orchestra of Brooklyn will feature piano and choral works. (718-488-9233)
The International Center of Photography will exhibit photos and artifact installations at 1133 Avenue of the Americas.
A unique and interesting musical event will be “Subway Music in the Light of 9/11”. Artists who perform in the New York Subways will offer a gift of beauty in the harsh surroundings of the Metro system! (212-870-3518)
On Staten Island, a 16,000 square foot Memorial Quilt will be displayed at St. John’s University. This amazing folk art was produced by 3000 volunteers from 17 countries, representing not only the Americans, but also those countries that lost citizens.
Memories and Meanings: Objects and Artifacts. A Tribute at the WTC Visitor Center, 120 Liberty St.
At sunset, the Tribute in Light will return to the skies above New York. It is made up of 44 – 7,000-watt lightbulbs arranged into 2 – 48-foot squares inspired by the shape of the Twin Towers. It is visible from 30 miles away. Sunday, Sept 11th – Zuccotti Park, Liberty Street between Broadway and Church Street.
