9/11/10 - Nine Years Later

Over Labor Day weekend, my Aunt and I decided to watch the video of my cousin's wedding from back in 1996. As the camera man passed around the microphone for each person at the tables to wish the newlyweds their best for a successful, happy and prosperous life, we came to the groom's cousin and his wife.

Tears came to my Aunt's eyes. For this cousin had been killed in the Twin Towers on September 11th, 2001.

I watched him wish my cousin, the bride, and his cousin, the groom, a lifetime of happiness. I especially looked at his wife and all I could think was here they were enjoying a wonderful family wedding never realizing only five years later their entire world would be shattered by radicals who wish to harm our people and our great country.

As the tape played, my Aunt reminded me who his parents were when they appeared and we saw them dancing and laughing. We talked about how hard it was for his parents and how they nearly split up themselves from the trauma of losing a child.

We spoke about how they had had a memorial event and I donated several dozen of my book "Understanding Your Grieving Heart After a Loved One's Death" which my Aunt put in beautiful baskets with other items to be sold at the auction to raise funds. I had forgotten I did that until she reminded me.

No matter how many years go by, we cannot forget. For several months, our country was numb. And in NYC, longer than that.

I guess it's beyond me how officials in NYC are still playing the 'politically correct' card with all we've been through. There is no reason to build a mosque at Ground Zero when there are two in close proximity to it already. It's a slap in the face of law abiding, good people who have no evil intention.

It is also beyond me how Pennsylvania and DC have their memorials built long ago and we're still working on New York's.

Nine years ago at this hour, we saw smoke flowing for miles around the southern tip of Manhattan. Fires still burning, buildings still waiting to fall, nearly 3,000 people dead including 343 firefighters, many who were friends of another cousin of mine, a FDNY Lieutenant.

Let us always remember the victims of this earthshaking day and the families who were forever changed.

Exactly What Were They Thinking...

One of the continual complaints grieving people have is the insensitivity of others to their pain. And yesterday in lower Manhattan we saw a perfect example of this. (Read more here.)

In an attempt by US Government Officials in Washington to get promotional pictures of Air Force One near Lady Liberty, they inadvertently frightened hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers who work in the World Trade Center area.

I guess the first word that comes to mind is stupidity. Then my thoughts lead toward incomprehension as to how a government official would not have considered that this act would bring up significant pain to those still sensitive to what happened in NYC on September 11th.

Would it not have crossed their minds that they should do everything in their power to notify all New York officials and make it public knowledge so there would be no panic. Instead our folks in Washington told the NYPD to keep it confidential. And no one even told NYC Mayor Bloomberg!

Ironically, this is National Crime Victims' Rights Week in the USA. We celebrate and remember the lives of those who have been murdered in our country...those who have been raped, abused, assaulted or harmed through the violence of another person.

The citizens of our country, but particularly the citizens of NYC who lived through 9/11 and the after affects and emotional strain, have that day tucked away in their psyches. It is a tender place and we don't need to assault it in any way.

Perhaps our government officials can please review their need for PR photos at the expense of increased anxiety and emotional turmoil in the lives of thousands of New York and New Jersey residents.