10 Years Later

Yesterday was one of those "I can't believe I live in New York City days."  Who doesn't remember where you were when the planes hit?  As it's often said, it's our generation's Pearl Harbor or JFK assassination.  Horrible.  Life changing.

Now I have a terrible memory.  Seriously, you can ask anyone.  But I remember that morning like it was yesterday.

I was 20 years old and woke up to a phone call from Jan Pitts asking if my mom and dad were ok in DC.  I immediately turned on the TV and saw the 2nd plane hit right as it happened.  I didn't understand it was real at first.  I mean, I grew up seeing CG effects like that in movies, so I think it's only natural to think it was fake.  But the truth sunk in as I sat alone in my closet of room at the SMU Panhellenic house.  I remember walking to my screenwriting class only to see the broadcast of the events on a giant projection screen in the classroom.  The professor said class was canceled and didn't take her eyes off the screen.  I remember thanking God over and over again that none of the planes hit the White House, where my mom was volunteering for the First Lady.

Obviously I had no idea I'd be living in NYC on the 10th anniversary of that awful day.  Wish I could say I was undisturbed by the media swarm over new threats going into the weekend.  But to be honest, I was a little nervous.  I just wanted to hibernate in our apartment and not chance riding the subway or being somewhere very public.  Course now I'm ashamed I let the media get to me at all.  Shane was right, if we give in to the fear at all, the terrorists win.  In true Shane form, he jumped out of bed Sunday morning ready to go down to the memorial service.  I'm sure he would have too, if I hadn't given him serious "looks."  The kind that say "over my dead body."  Pretty sure he lost interest anyway after we saw it was only for family members, which I thought was really considerate for them.

Yesterday afternoon I took a long walk across the island to the Chelsea Pier and back.  It was refreshing to get out and see all the other people enjoying the crisp fall day.  The whole time I couldn't help but think, what a cool place to live - especially on September 11th.

Hudson River Park - Chelsea Pier

Madison Square Park

NYC, beautiful and bright as seen from our home window