I wasn't going to do it. It was already overbaked last week. MANY blog posts already. What more value could I add? Who cares what I think anyway?I'm not typically an emotional person. I took the morning today to go for a nice long bike ride with ThatOneWife, followed by a shower and off to the office for a while to tie up some things... on the way, I heard a portion of the Sonic Memorial on NPR around noon today. And I was genuinely moved.
So where was I on that very shitty of mornings? I was finalizing the suitcases for a trip that ThatOneWife and I were scheduled to take that morning. I was standing in the bedroom and she was drying her hair. The TV was on, and I stood in amazement as they were reporting that there was an "apparent accident" involving a plane and the World Trade Center. I told her that I didn't think we would be flying that day, as they were reporting that air travel in the US was quickly being halted in order to find out what was going on. We were scheduled to go to Podunkville, midwest, for work, I can't even remember where exactly. All of a sudden, it didn't matter. The events of the day unfolded in a surreal sequence that we all know by now.
I lied earlier when I said that I'm not an emotional person. I am, actually. If you know me, you know that, but I do keep it hidden away sometimes.
Five years ago on this day, Bob Dylan released an album for the first time in a LONG time. I haven't heard it - not really a big fan of The Mumbler...
I am a fan of music though, and that is what usually brings my emotions out of hiding. Last week I downloaded the NEW Bob Dylan album from iTunes - HIGHLY RECOMMENDED LISTENING, by the way... and I got to listening to the lyrics. You should check into it.
Which then reminded me of the Sting DVD of "All This Time." You should be checking that out as well. NetFlix it. It is the story of a concert that was scheduled to be performed on September 11th for his friends and neighbors at his home in Tuscany. (Yes, it sucks to be him.) The documentary follows the news of the day, and the change in set list because of the news. Even though the DVD contains TWO of my favorite musicians (Sting and Christian McBride), and a third who I really like (Chris Botti), it is good even for its non-musical elements. This was truly the day that the world stood still for a while. The whole world.
Last week White House press secretary Tony Snow mentioned that today's remembrances would be marked for the accomplishments of the last five years, "because those accomplishments could only happen here." If I were British, or German, or Italian, I would be offended by this. I would like to think that even if this tragic event had been perpetrated in another country, the world would have stood still, just like it did that day. The US would have been there to help, no matter where it happened. And it should have been noted by the Administration that there are many world-wide contributors to the effort to rebuild, lives and spaces. Remember Bono at the SuperBowl that year? No, not the slip of the nip.... the American flag inside the jacket Yes, you do. The world loved us unconditionally that day.
Anyway, so there you are. The world stopped moving five years ago, and our eyes were opened to the hatred that brews, even still today. So what do we do today? I mean you and I - what do WE do today? What can we do? I humbly submit to you:
JUST.
REMEMBER.
Then make yourself better. Make it so that you can't be accused of hating. Of NOT remembering. Be better. Consciously.
That's all.
No comments:
Post a Comment