Friday

9-11

8 years.

8 years since the worst TERRORIST attack in our country's history. (Note to Charlie Sheen : it wasn't our own government. Pull your head out of your ass. And take your fellow conspiracy theorists and go piss up a rope. Then hang yourself with it.)

I won't go into a long story about what I was doing when it happened, but since I was in law enforcement as an investigator let's just say I was damn busy that day.

But my world really didn't change that drastically that day. Sure, I have to take my shoes off at the airport, I have to take my toiletries in a ziploc bag, and I have to be a little more vigilant in my timing when traveling.

But my loved one didn't die just sitting at their desk. On the phone. Standing by the water cooler. Talking about their kids in the elevator.

I didn't lose my brother,sister,mom,dad, anyone flying on any of the 4 planes that were used as weapons that day.

In a sense I lost brothers in blue, but not like the brothers and sisters of the FDNY and NYPD did.

I have a friend who went to the WTC every Tuesday from Jersey in his capacity as an employee of Bear Sterns. Mikey didn't go that day because one of his daughters was sick. The 4 hours that it took him to call me after we each spent frantic moments wondering? They were tough, but imagine the ones who NEVER got a call from someone saying they were ok. And the joy I felt when I heard my Coconut (long story!) on the other end of that telephone line? Miniscule compared to the joy so many felt when their loved ones walked through the door, covered in ash and human remnants but still here.

Today, it's not about me or what I was doing or feeling. I'm a widow now too, but I'm not a 9-11 widow, or widower, or even someone that lost someone on that awful day 8 years ago.

Those people are the one's it's about today. The ones that are not here, and the ones that still are, and the ones that are going on even in the midst of their own pain, as well as the entire country's.

Blessings to all of you. Here, there or otherwise.

Thank you for your courage, your sacrifice, and your life here on this earth, no matter how long or short. Thank you for you.

And God Bless America.

7 comments:

Andrew said...

I whole heartedly agree. Great post. I wish I hadn't taken it to such a sooo personal level. The facts will come out. I don't need to be inserting my nose where it doesn't belong. I blame the margaritas. I hope you accept my apology i didn't need ambush on what is clearly a therapeutic outlet for you. I recommend you remove the post on chris he might take this to a level unneeded by both of us.

Blondefabulous said...

9/11 affected me to my core. I was pregnant w/my son and the horror just about sent me into early labor, and I was in Fla at the time. It still gets to me. I can't even write about it any more. I tear up inside. I do, however, read the tributes everyone else writes and I take a moment in the morning when the sun rises and thank God for my life and my family's lives.

Very beautiful.

TexasRaceLady said...

I, too, still feel the horror of that day.

I watched the live TV of the 2nd plane hitting the Tower, and just knew that it had to be a movie scenario --- only it wasn't.

Kim, how well I recall the frantic hours until we heard from Coconut. Our 'net brother finally checked in and we all finally exhaled.

Then we started thinking about all the ones who weren't going to "phone home."

LOVIN7 said...

It's a somber, WET day in NYC today-kinda fitting I think instead of the perfect blue-skies day of the attack. I remember wondering about our buddy Mike too and being VERY relieved to hear he wasn't there that day. WE WILL NEVER FORGET.

Beautiful Mess said...

Beautifully written. So many people are in my thoughts today.
*HUGS*

Big Pissy said...

Beautifully written and heartfelt post, Kim.

Thank you for writing it.

Coal Miner's Granddaughter said...

Great post, darlin'. Thank you.